Thank You, Grandma

This post is a couple weeks late, but I wanted to take a moment, as many family members have done, to pay tribute to my recently departed Grandmother, Gerda Pratt Haynie. She was, as was so eloquently put by President Hawkins at her funeral, the ideal of womanhood. I feel so grateful for her, and for the way she served all of us. I feel especially grateful for the fourth of me that comes from her. I have realized lately, how much I inherited from her. Her love of music and sense of rhythm...she was known to always be tapping out beats to music with her fingers or teeth...and I do the same thing! Her sense of adventure and love of travel I clearly inherited. :) And her dedication to service I am still working on, but it inspires me to be better, knowing how great she was.

Jon and I were fortunate enough (thanks to the generosity of Jon's dad in giving us some free plane tickets he had been saving up) to attend her funeral on September 8th. I was so glad that Jon got to learn about her life, and feel a greater connection to my extended family. He had only met her a few times, and it was after her dimentia was in its later stages and she was confined to her bed. So it was really neat to be able to have him there with me.

The funeral was a wonderful celebration of her life. As Jon and I talked with coworkers, we noticed how cautious they were around us, and how much they acted like this departure from life should be devastating. And while there is no quesiton that the death of a loved one can be devastating in many ways, I felt so grateful for the perspective the gospel brings. She has passed on, but we will see her again, and she lives still.

I really admired Grandpa's absolute faith and confidence that he will see her again, even as he said goodbye to his eternal companion for now. I loved his comments at the funeral, that if what we say, think or do isn't pleasing to the Savior, what difference does it make who we please. He is so wise, and I love him and Grandma so much.

The trip back to Utah also served as a wonderful reunion of family members who have been greatly missed since we moved back east. It was such a breath of fresh air to spend time with my parents and siblings. It was also a great opportunity for Jon to finally meet his neice, whose absoute adoreableness he found hard to believe, as evidenced by the look of surprise on his face.

The whole experience was one that I will always cherish, and I am grateful to all those who made it possible and who offered their love and kindness and wisdom.