Even though grandma has passed now, I think I have a much larger amount to blog about suddenly, and perhaps, a more attentive group of readers, who are dappling in nostalgia and sifting through emotions right now, or even staying tuned due to the climax of events. I need to start somewhere and would like to do so by dedicating this post to some of my best friends, the most loving, compassionate, and giving second-family, if you will, I have ever experienced. The understanding shown and shoulder to lean on given by friends, I have learned, is truly a necessity in life and I want them all to know how much I appreciate every text message, phone call, card, and email, even if I did not get back to you at the time or even yet. I am truly amazed and was overwhelmed with so much comfort and love alongside my grief that it is really helping to balance me out. A lot of them have been following the blog since I made it and have talked a lot about my grandma with me the last few months as well.
So, to start, Jeanette and Giuliana came to the funeral with a couple things for me and the family. First, was this huge bouquet in a vase that now sits on my mom's counter in the kitchen:
Attached to it was this card, which had 25 of my friends' names on it!!:
On the front and back!:
They also brought 2 big pots with succulent gardens! One for me and one for my mom! My friend Diana is quite the artist at making them and knows how much I love them! I was so surprised and happy to receive them! How thoughtful!:
Next, Dustin, Sarah, and Isaac also came to the funeral and also had special packages with them.
Dustin gave me a plate full of cookies that Kelli had baked and sent with him! He handed it to me after the funeral outside, so I immediately unwrapped the plate and ate some. They sure hit the spot! Thanks Kelli for taking the time to do that! A little sugar at that moment probably helped carry me through the next couple hours.
Alongside the cookies were two cards as well. One, of course from kelli, and the other from Becky!
Kelli's envelope included a special postcard from her favorite packet of postcards designed by an artist she likes. She has given me one from this packet once before a long time ago when I needed some comforting and I know she picks them out carefully, picking the picture of the postcard most fitting to the situation. It was a special treat to open it and get one again. There was also a picture of her daughter, Sloane Rose. I babysit Sloane every week on Wednesdays. Pulling her little face out of the envelope brightened my mood; I'm sure they knew it would!:
Becky's card was just as special. It was a card put out by Empowering Livelihood Projects, which was crafted by a young artist in Kenya, Africa. The envelope was handmade and the cover of the card was a watercolor done by the artist. Inside, a line she wrote: "I pray that Christ's comfort and peace are with you and your family in this time of loss." I think your prayer, Becky, along with others', was being answered...and most of all answered by each act of love, like the giving of this card, by the those surrounding my family and I.
And lastly, Sarah handed me a card and said, "From the mansion." Sarah lives in a house with 2 other friends of mine, Jessica Ray and Debbie, in our neighborhood in Long Beach. Well, the house they rent is pretty big and all these women that live there, including Sarah, are quite beautiful. So our friends have nicknamed their place "Babe Mansion" as a joke. It is what we all refer to when going over to their house. So, long story short, the card was from the Mansion, meaning Babe Mansion. Inside the card was a short note and money! The money was for the Lake Elsinore Animal Shelter where we requested donations in grandma's memory be given!:
I know a lot of others have sent money directly to the shelter (which I will do another blog post about) but I was especially excited to get the cash in this card because it prompted me to call the Shelter and ask a few more questions about some things myself. One thing I found out through doing this was that if you "bought a brick" or donated $50 to them you could have that brick inscribed with three lines--a great way to memorialize someone! So you can already guess what I did with their money and I will be adding a post on that!
But a little side information that most of you probably do not know is this Animal Shelter had an electrical fire two years ago and sadly, 39 animals burned to death, mostly puppies and a few cats. The Shelter was started privately, years ago, and has been a compound full of trailers, growing with animals. They are now joining with the county of Riverside, I believe, and relocating to a new, much bigger, and hopefully, safer and more comfortable building. The brick is supposed to be apart of this new building which is set to have a grand opening in September of this year.
Also, grandma's beloved dog, Queenie, who I found for her, came from this very shelter and grandma, several times herself, collected blankets and various items to take there in the past. The news of that past fire when it happened had also really broken her heart at the time.
So, thank you-thank you to everyone I mentioned here and even those of you that are not mentioned that have been sending your thoughts to me. I am so thankful. It means so much to me.
So, to start, Jeanette and Giuliana came to the funeral with a couple things for me and the family. First, was this huge bouquet in a vase that now sits on my mom's counter in the kitchen:
Attached to it was this card, which had 25 of my friends' names on it!!:
On the front and back!:
They also brought 2 big pots with succulent gardens! One for me and one for my mom! My friend Diana is quite the artist at making them and knows how much I love them! I was so surprised and happy to receive them! How thoughtful!:
Next, Dustin, Sarah, and Isaac also came to the funeral and also had special packages with them.Dustin gave me a plate full of cookies that Kelli had baked and sent with him! He handed it to me after the funeral outside, so I immediately unwrapped the plate and ate some. They sure hit the spot! Thanks Kelli for taking the time to do that! A little sugar at that moment probably helped carry me through the next couple hours.
Alongside the cookies were two cards as well. One, of course from kelli, and the other from Becky!
Kelli's envelope included a special postcard from her favorite packet of postcards designed by an artist she likes. She has given me one from this packet once before a long time ago when I needed some comforting and I know she picks them out carefully, picking the picture of the postcard most fitting to the situation. It was a special treat to open it and get one again. There was also a picture of her daughter, Sloane Rose. I babysit Sloane every week on Wednesdays. Pulling her little face out of the envelope brightened my mood; I'm sure they knew it would!:
Becky's card was just as special. It was a card put out by Empowering Livelihood Projects, which was crafted by a young artist in Kenya, Africa. The envelope was handmade and the cover of the card was a watercolor done by the artist. Inside, a line she wrote: "I pray that Christ's comfort and peace are with you and your family in this time of loss." I think your prayer, Becky, along with others', was being answered...and most of all answered by each act of love, like the giving of this card, by the those surrounding my family and I.
And lastly, Sarah handed me a card and said, "From the mansion." Sarah lives in a house with 2 other friends of mine, Jessica Ray and Debbie, in our neighborhood in Long Beach. Well, the house they rent is pretty big and all these women that live there, including Sarah, are quite beautiful. So our friends have nicknamed their place "Babe Mansion" as a joke. It is what we all refer to when going over to their house. So, long story short, the card was from the Mansion, meaning Babe Mansion. Inside the card was a short note and money! The money was for the Lake Elsinore Animal Shelter where we requested donations in grandma's memory be given!:
I know a lot of others have sent money directly to the shelter (which I will do another blog post about) but I was especially excited to get the cash in this card because it prompted me to call the Shelter and ask a few more questions about some things myself. One thing I found out through doing this was that if you "bought a brick" or donated $50 to them you could have that brick inscribed with three lines--a great way to memorialize someone! So you can already guess what I did with their money and I will be adding a post on that!But a little side information that most of you probably do not know is this Animal Shelter had an electrical fire two years ago and sadly, 39 animals burned to death, mostly puppies and a few cats. The Shelter was started privately, years ago, and has been a compound full of trailers, growing with animals. They are now joining with the county of Riverside, I believe, and relocating to a new, much bigger, and hopefully, safer and more comfortable building. The brick is supposed to be apart of this new building which is set to have a grand opening in September of this year.
Also, grandma's beloved dog, Queenie, who I found for her, came from this very shelter and grandma, several times herself, collected blankets and various items to take there in the past. The news of that past fire when it happened had also really broken her heart at the time.
So, thank you-thank you to everyone I mentioned here and even those of you that are not mentioned that have been sending your thoughts to me. I am so thankful. It means so much to me.
4 comments:
Keep sharing, I love hearing all your thoughts... Grandma would be proud of your efforts... so, who's taking Queenie?
Thanks so much dearest Alayna for continuing to write for this blog. I was so thrilled when you started it and couldn't wait for each new post. Unfortunately, grandma needed to go and wasn't willing to stay here on earth just to entertain me! She had more glorious things to attend to!
I wish I could have met your friends at the service. They are pretty amazing! So, thank you to all of them - each one named and all of the others- for caring, being there, and sending little gifts to show their love for you.
Grandma is probably reading this now, very amused at all of the attention she's getting. I hope you continue to write, at least for awhile. I will continue to visit!
I love you.
I've talked with your mom more in the past week than in the past year!! Heard about Queenie's illness at Emily's, pray'n for both of them. My own mom is going through some hard times right now, hospitalized in Canada and probably going to lose her leg; possible gangrene due to a lifetime of smoking resulting in very poor circulation. She lost her eyesight last year; life is becoming increasingly difficult for her... Please keep her (and me) in prayer. I'll be heading up there soon. Hope you are hanging in there, God is good. Love you, Heather
Just got around to reading this! so sweet!
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