So for those that know me already those this news but I felt like I wanted to put something here as a dedication of sorts.  On Monday morning, I received that dreaded phone from my father that my grandmother had passed.  I tried to hold back the emotion as I had literally just stepped out of a meeting and needed to drive home from Downtown Dallas.  I called Karey and let her know what had just happened as I tried to fight back the tears then my MIL was next.  It was even harder to keep those tears at bay and finally I just couldn’t talk about it anymore.  So I hung up and turned the radio up so loud that hopefully my thoughts were be drowned out. Once home, I really just wanted to curl up in a ball and do nothing but cry myself to sleep.  But I couldn’t and I wouldn’t.  I had to meet Amanda in an hour to photograph her dog for her Christmas card.  I almost canceled, I really did.  But then I thought crazy pictures of Amanda’s dog would probably actually make me laugh and I could really use a laugh right now.  So I went ahead and met with Amanda and her dog (if you know Amanda she is just nuts about her dog) so I really enjoyed the session and had lots of good laughs (thank you Barrett).  Then homeward bound I was, only to leave to meet up for our monthly Wedding Ladies Happy Hour.  I really needed a drink or two and I honestly didn’t want to stay sitting and dwelling in my own thoughts.  I had lots of good laughs and smiles and the best chocolate cake.  Then Ray was so kind to pick me up (cuz I’m such a light weight drinker) and to bed I went.

I thought it would be very fitting to dedicate my blog post today to my wonderful, sweet Grandmother.  I remember as a child going to my grandparents house and as soon as I walked through the door, my grandmother would say come come.  I would then be donned with an apron and follow her into the kitchen where I proceeded to help her cook.  My grandparents are Italian and both grew up in Italy was food was of uber importance.  It was life.  We would make pizza, gnocchi, pasta and all of this was from scratch.  The pasta sauce would be simmering on the stove and my grandfather would come over stir it, take a quick taste, stir again and say now it’s done.  We always had to credit the great sauce to my grandfather since he did the final stirring.  We would then break bread and enjoy our meal.  

This is not something I really have talked about but my shortly after I graduated high school is when we found out my grandmother had Parkinson’s and dementia also creeped in.  She knew in 2006 that Ray and I were planning on wedding but come 2007 people would tell her we are married and she wouldn’t remember so her short term memory wasn’t there.  I’m honestly not sure how bad her dementia got but I want to say she did remember her husband (my grandfather), her children and grandchildren.  I could be wrong though.  Over the past few years she got worse, then better, then worse again.  So I wasn’t sure when that phone call would come.  I felt like I was prepped for it after all these years but man was I wrong.  You are never prepared to loose a loved one.  It will always hurt and surprise you. Ok you guys the tears are flowing now so I’m going to wrap this up.  I just want to say I love you Grandma and I’m sure you are dancing with the angels.

I will leave you with a picture from my Grandparent’s 50th wedding anniversary vow renewal that I took.  I do ask that you look past the poor quality as this photo is at my Grandfather’s house so my dad took a picture with his i-phone and sent it to me so I could post here.  Thanks for listening everyone 🙂