My Great Grandmother

Today is Sunday, February 24, 2008. On April 3, 2008, my great grandmother would have been 90 years old. She died yesterday, February 23.
Her life was full of joy, that is one thing I am sure.
I remember when I was little... my great grandma and grandpa lived in Utah. They would travel in their motor home in the summer to come see us. They would pull their motor home up in our back yard and stay for a while. One summer, my grandpa even built me a playhouse. It was the coolest thing ever!!! And every Christmas I waited for the homemade caramels (made with no nuts for me) in the mail. They were incredible!!
Then they came to live in California. I remember house shopping with them. When my parents went out of town, they left us with them a few times. I remember eating the best fried chicken in the world with, without a doubt, the best homemade noodles and mashed potatoes ever!! mmm... what I would give for that meal right now...
She was an amazing woman. Strong and determined, yet loving and compassionate.
Beyond that, she was my mom's rock and right now, it is incredibly difficult for her. She is comforted in the fact that my great grandmother is in a much better place and she is with people she loves. She is with my grandpa, my uncle, ginger and all those who went before her. Her life is free from Alzheimer's and has every wonderful and precious memory that filled her life.
My mom is an amazing woman because of my great grandmother. She had the most influence on my mom's life. There will never be anyone who replaces her. So during this time, my mom needs her time to mourn. She needs to be able to sit and recount every single memory for none other than her very own sanity. She will be fine and life will go on, but right now, at this moment, she is not okay.
So this week will be a long one. We will say our final goodbye and have our closure. As a family, there is much left to be dealt with. I am thankful that she is free.