Goodbye Gram.

Out of sadness was beauty.

I met the most amazing people.  I hugged, cried, laughed, danced, and listened with people I would have never known existed.

My sisters and I got to spend an important amount of time with Gram in her last days.  We bathed her, dressed her, and got her ready to go home with Jesus.  We danced in her room, laughed with all her caretakers and watched madness come alive in the Alzheimer's unit.  I am talking 90 year-old women fighting with sunglasses on.  I am talking one woman showing another her a** and saying, "Take a good loooooook!"

The hardest part was telling my mom who was on a cruise and not yet home.

My mom was her caretaker for 12 years.  My Gram lived with us for 7 years and in that time I had a lot of life lessons that I am sure I was not appreciative of then...like when my good ol Gram decided to collect EVERY person's trashcan on trash day and store them in our garage...My lovely mother made me return them all but how would I know whose trashcan can belonged to whom so I had to ring each.person's. doorbell...

Or when she drew in her eyebrows with pastel blue crayons to go out for dinner.  My little sister and I knew we didn't quite fit in, but this was overboard.  Or when she used feminine pads as band aides all over her legs.  Or the many times she hit on my boyfriend who eventually became my husband, thank God.

I had to tell Cealy in tears that Jesus came to get Grandma, and soon she will be playing hide and go seek, running, wearing her high heels, and jamming with her friends..but all that will have to happen in Heaven.

This time I whispered to Gram, "When you get to Heaven, you can chase Grandpa with a bat." That may have been why she went swiftly.

Do you want to know something beautiful?  My grandmother's caretakers sobbed over her.  Each of them told me she was their favorite.  They kissed her and told her they would see her again.  They will forever have a spot in my heart.

My mom's best friend spent every minute with her.  She slept with her in my Gram's room.  She played board games with her, drank wine, and stayed by my mom's side until my Gram went home.  Two more of my mom's besties came and sat with her until Gram passed away.  Friendship amazes me.  These women are beautiful friends.

Joretta Joyce will be missed.  It is hard to think I will not see her until I too go home with Jesus.  For now I will just imagine her playing cards with her girls and standing behind things just to jump out and scare anyone whose around.  Maybe God will put her to work.  Maybe she will help find homes for the endless orphans who need them.  Or maybe she will help a single mother who is trying to get by and so badly wants to keep her children.  Yes, Grandma-work for God.