Nanny

Nanny has fought the good fight and won the race.  She passed away peacefully this afternoon with her three children there by her side.  Nanny has slowly been leaving this earth since her first stroke in December.  Each month became more apparent that Nanny's time was coming.  I remember crying one day in January when I realized Nanny wasn't going to call me anymore.  Man would I love to hear one of her really long messages wondering if she was talking to me or the machine.  Nanny was the hardest thing to leave in Atlanta.  It's hard to not want back these last two years with her and be by her side during these last tough months.  Nanny was the grandmother that I spent every Thanksgiving with and every Christmas with. She was spunky and told you how she felt but her honesty kept her real and her fiesty nature kept you behaving.  She was always fair and never showed favoritism more to one grandchild than another and I think that is a valuable lesson we all take with us to pass on.  She was an incredible bridge player and has modeled that if we want a long healthy life(she would have been 93 years old July 31st)-then bridge is the answer. 

 Oh sweet Nanny- I know you were so proud of your family and I am blessed to have been your granddaughter.  I will always always always remember the smitten relationship that you and Little B had and CHERISH those memories of us visiting you each week when we lived in Atlanta.  I didn't realize how special it was to get to live in the same city with you for five years until we moved.

We leave for Atlanta in the morning to celebrate her life and hug our family that she kept glued together.   I wasn't able to see Nanny at Christmas time this year so I missed out on seeing my cousins.  I can't wait to hug their neck and reminisce all about our Nanny.  There will be many stories to tell and many tearful laughs.  She never left us without a dull moment.   Goodbye tears- bring on the laughter.  Nanny would want us to have a good time. 

This photo is from last summer when my mom drove Nanny down to stay for a week.  She loved Tampa and went right along with whatever Little B wanted to do- St. Pete, fountains, Chick-Fil-A.  She would share her coffee cup with Bradford each morning and when she left Bradford always talked about drinking coffee like Nanny.  On Tuesday we told Little B that Nanny was sick and he said, "Nanny needs to drink medicine out of cup" We called my mom and told her to tell that to Nanny- Tuesday was the last day that Nanny was awake.  

This memory is really special to me as this is the first time that Nanny met Hampton.  Hampton is named after Nanny-Dodd is her maiden name- this was also the last time that Nanny was Nanny.  This is in November before Thanksgiving.  So glad she got to hold and know Hampton when her memory was still sharp.  

This is in March when we were in Birmingham we stopped by to say hey on our way back to Tampa.  Nanny didn't know our names but was really into the kids.   

She wanted to hold them and talk with them.

 Over at our house in Atlanta seeing Little B when he was a week old

 Easter when Little B was 3 months

 At Little B's dedication- he was 5 months then

 With Nanny in Hawaii for Trent and Eleanor's wedding

 Nanny used to try and wake up Little B when he came over to her place- she could hardly wait to hold him

 Easter at Big Canoe a month before I found out I was pregnant with Little B

Life won't be the same without her.