Spaghetti, Applesauce and Another Goodbye

You see, she was all kinds of amazing. I’ve been given the gift of these faith filled, praise-worthy grandparents and I forever grateful but the ache is deep when we have to say goodbye on this earth.

Grandma or “Mimi” as J and A nicknamed her passed from this earth and into God’s glory last week. We laugh and talk as we imagine her pain-free body dancing and worshiping before the throne but we miss her. This is the 3rd funeral of a grandparent I have “sat out” in Ethiopia and it hasn’t gotten easier. We were incredibly humbled to sit in Injibara and live stream her memorial service and even be remembered in our absence. 

One of my first memories with Grandma, I was sitting in some kind of high chair or booster seat in her old kitchen and she poured homemade applesauce on her spaghetti and in that act, I felt so loved. Isn’t it funny what sticks out? I still like applesauce with my spaghetti. 

A told me she was going to name her first daughter “Dottie” as a form of Dorothy.

I type, delete, type, delete because I can’t give adequate words to someone pouring out their lives and investing richly and deeply in her family, spoiling her grandkids at every opportunity. 

Some of the most recent highlights with Grandma and J and A were when we would visit her retirement home and eat in the cafe, their order the same every time, hotdogs and mac n’ cheese. These girls are so glad she is pain-free but “wouldn’t trade Mimi for all the hotdogs and mac n’ cheese in the world!”. 

The day after her funeral, the girls received early birthday cards from her in the mail. Something she wanted to make sure she sent when she realized how close death was. 

So many sweet memories.

Trick-or-treating. 

Mimi has loved us and each of our children so well. She was one of the first to wholeheartedly cheer adoption in our family and was an unwavering, loyal fan. 

There are 13 grandkids and I am so thankful for each of them and my Grandma’s legacy of love.