I love this photograph; it's the last one I have of these four generations together. What makes me terribly sad is that it is from Christmas 2009, almost two full years ago...and I think it was the last time we were all together. We had planned to all be back together this weekend, but it is not to be. Life, and death, are what happen in between us making plans and the reality playing out in front of us. Right now I should be calling my Gma to wish her a happy 90th birthday, should be packing for a trip to New Jersey, and should be celebrating one heck of a surprise party for her this weekend. Sadly, the "would-a, could-a, should-a" doesn't count for anything and the reality is that I cannot call, cannot write, cannot visit. We lost my grandmother just shy of her 90th birthday, in a fatal car accident.So today, I am thankful to have had a grandmother who had so many in her life and took the time to make each and every one of us feel special, unique, celebrated, and treasured for who were are...no small task when you have 50+ grandchildren, not to mention nieces, nephews, etc. I am thankful to have had a grandmother that saw the humor in any situation and one who was fearless in overcoming what others might see as insurmountable odds: becoming a widow, being completely deaf, aging...none of these things stopped her. She still traveled around the country, lived independently, and continued with activities she enjoyed. And while almost 90 may seem like many, many years and a full life, to me, it seems like it still wasn't enough. She may be gone, but her legacy lives on.
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