gIt is with much grief and a heavy heart that I write this. My dear, dear Grandma passed away on Friday at 10:12 am, surrounded by family she loved. It all happened so fast. Long story short, she was doing well and early Monday morning she had difficulty breathing. Somehow she was still discharged to an assisted living facility, where she quickly took a turn for the worst and ended up back in the ER. Tuesday morning she shared that she wanted everybody to come and see her, because she knew the end was near-- as did all of us.

Thus ensued one of the most beautiful and yet one of the most painful three days I have ever experienced. My family flew in late that night, as well as various other cousins who have moved around the country. She talked about her impending death, telling us she wasn't "in the least bit frightful." We read Scripture to her, we sang hymns around her bed. Everyone made it in time to see her. She held on more than two days to see those who could not make it right away. We all loved her so much. The image of her three sons, my dad and his brothers, sitting around her bed as she was ushered into eternity is one I will never forget as long as I live.

My heart feels empty. Grandpa's death was extremely difficult, but Grandma's was just a terrible finality to it all. They are gone. Their house sits empty, a skeleton of the memories we once made there. She went so, so quickly and unexpectedly. None of us knew this was coming. We all thought she would make it through this. Grandma was always the healthy one. She was not supposed to go like this.

And so, after almost two weeks--the first being one of happiness and reunion-- I am home. Life will go on, and I hope my heart will heal. I don't see how, but I pray it will.