Mamaw/Grandma

I've been meaning to write this post but really didn't know where/ how to start (I guess that's what happens when we procrastinate... not that I would ever do that). December was, in fact, a bittersweet whirlwind of activity. The first half of the month I spent cursing myself for trying to move house during the Christmas season. The second half I spent a little shell-shocked.

Being that I'm not sure where to start, I'm just going to dive right in.  Forgive me if I fall short.  Around my birthday, Ben's lovely and amazing grandmother, Mamaw Durnin (or "Grandma" as Ben and his brothers and sister call her)went into the hospital for a medical procedure from which she couldn't quite recover from. She left the hospital on hospice during our last week in Lynchburg. Ben and I prayed for a miracle since we would be closer in just a few short days but it was not meant to be. She passed away just as we were driving out of Lynchburg on our way to Johnson City.

At this point, I need to stop and tell you a little bit about this extraordinary woman. She birthed 9 beautiful children. She lost her first son when he was about 5 (a pain I cannot begin to fathom nor do I want to.). She carried on. The family didn't have a car until nearly all the children were grown. Can you EVEN imagine grocery shopping with THAT many children and public transportation? (I can't shop with 2 and I HAVE a car)Amazing. 

Not to mention, she had 21 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren and she knew EVERYONE'S name, remembered EVERYONE's birthday(even lowly granddaughter-in-laws)... and she had Christmas presents wrapped for all of her great grand babies before she even left for the hospital. How on EARTH she ever did it, I'll never know. I'm blessed to have even known her for the brief time that I did.

There was so much more to her life(CHOCOLATE!!!) and spirit(clever poems hidden all over the house, anyone?) than I could ever do justice. I guess this is a post better written by someone else but I'm manning the blog until someone volunteers to guest post about Mamaw/Grandma. I know we'll see her again and it's my wish that anyone without the opportunity to meet her on this side will get to know her on the other side.