Remembering

Evie's Birthday was very bittersweet. Not only did my baby girl turn 3, but my husband's grandmother, our Mimi, finally went home to be with Jesus. I was not very close to Mimi, as she lived across the state and we only saw her a couple times a year. But I know what an incredible woman she was. I know because of the love her family had for her, and the love she had for them in return.


The last time we went to visit Mimi was in November. While we were there, Mimi continuously talked about how excited she was that I was expecting again. This would be a wonderful thing, except it was about a month before I actually got pregnant. (She also kept talking about our two sons, which REALLY confused us, but we just kind of ran with it.) Not only was she excited that I was pregnant, she kept saying that she hoped we had a girl.

Six weeks later we found out we were (unexpectedly) expecting. Mimi's health was beginning to deteriorate, and when we told her that were, indeed, actually, pregnant again she answered with, "I'm so sorry I won't be here when the baby is born." Mimi had always said that she could never die as long as someone was pregnant. She would just have to live forever. But she knew she wouldn't meet this baby.

Two weeks ago we found out that we are having another girl. I sat and chatted with my father in law about it. "This is Mimi's fault," I told him. "How so?" "First she told me I was pregnant, then she said she hoped we had a girl." We laughed about it.

That last time we saw her in November gave me a very precious memory. She spoke of my unborn daughter before she even existed, and that is so special to me now.

Mimi will be missed. I will miss her doing "Johnny Walky" with the girls (it's a game you play with babies, like pat-a-cake, for those who are wondering) and how she would always mail us a ton of coupons for places we didn't have around here, or for a dog we don't own, or that had already expired. I'll miss receiving those cards and notes from her that were barely legible. I'll miss making the trip to see her, and I'll miss how her face always lit up when she saw us.

But she will be thought of often, and spoke of often, and she won't be forgotten by those who knew and loved her. Thank you, Mimi, for being our Mimi. Thank you for loving my daughters, and thank you for all that you did for us. Enjoy Heaven. I know you have wanted to be there for a long time.

Mimi and Evie

Mimi and Catherine