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RIP Grandma June

Went to the funeral of a dear family friend today. She and her husband used to be in saddle club when I was little and my family had horses and were in saddle club. Christopher is named after her grandson who happens to be my ex's best friend. You live in a small town like this and it's amazing how many different ways you can be entertwined with another person. Anyway, she's always been "grandma June" to Christopher. Her grandkids called her grandma June-bug but for some reason he always stuck to grandma June.

June had been in the nursing home for quite awhile and since I get called there to work quite often, I was lucky enough to see her usually once a week at least. Some days she would know me and chat up a storm. Other days she wouldn't know me but would still visit. Last time I saw her I was wearing my bright green sweater and she kept remarking to everyone how beautiful my sweater was - what a pretty color. I would go into a different office and do some work then come back past her again and she'd say "Oh Lisa, I just can't get over how pretty that sweater is!" That's how I'd prefer to remember her but I happened to be out there the day she took a rapid turn for the worse. As sad as it was to lose her, it's so much better than having her linger for months in the condition she was in. Christopher is fortunate to have last seen her a few weeks ago when she was smiling and had that spark in her eye. They used to measure, back to back, to see if he was taller yet and he almost caught up to her. She was a little thing but as her obituary said, "mighty".

Christopher was pretty upset and very worried about his "uncle". On the way back to school following the funeral, he said "Mom, I've never seen uncle Chris cry like that. Do you think he'll be okay?" I remember very clearly how my grandmother passed away some 20 years ago. The pain of losing a grandma is so great and something I hope Christopher doesn't have to experience for a long, long time.