December 22

After I finished writing the last blog at 4:45am, I eventually fell asleep on the couch. We are on vacation schedule so the house was still and silent when my phone vibrated and woke me up at 8:00. It was a cousin I had called the night before and I figured he accidentally called me. But then he texted right away. His cryptic text made me pretty sure that Grandma had passed away. 

So I called him right away figuring my mom must be preoccupied with calls. He felt horrible that I had found out that way and as I was talking to him, my mom called. 

Grandma entered heaven in her sleep at 4:45am. The same time that I was awake writing that story about my special video call with her. Later I found out that my mom and one of my sisters was also awake at that time. 💖

On Saturday I had been very angry at the world we find ourselves in that is not allowing nursing home residents to have visitors. Grandma was confused enough to not really know where she was so she was not upset which I am thankful for. But still...she was alone for her last week. Knowing that some of us were awake as close as we could be to her in thought and spirit made me feel good. 

My sisters who live here and our children spent the day with mom filling her house with noise and activity. I needed something to do so I decided to make Grandma’s cut out Christmas cookies. I was quite pleased that they turned out so well. It’s just a given that no cookies taste quite like Grandma’s. 

We headed home late in the afternoon and there were a couple boxes on the step. One I wasn’t expecting. It was from a friend who knew my other Gramma, Reta. Once in a while Chrissy will send me nonpareil candies because Gramma Reta liked them and they remind me of her. So I opened that box and smiled...remembering both of my grandmothers in one day. 

I slept really good last night! When I woke up my first thought was Grandma is gone—reality sinking in.