right here, always

Thanks, everybody, for the kind words through blog comments and emails. Gram passed away this morning. She had an awesome life and lived it to its fullest up until the very end, surrounded by so many people who loved her every step of the way.

There was a moment when I thought, "I can't believe she's gone." But then I looked around. I was sitting in my office and noticed...

~ the little framed cross stitched love bunny that she made for me 20+ years ago, hanging to the left of my desk

~ the framed prints from our trip to London and Scotland (home of her ancestors) ~12 years ago, hanging near the bunny

~ the just-finished-blooming orchid on the corner of my desk, from our trip to Hawaii a few years ago, a trip which was prompted by the dreamy wish of an enthusiastic globetrotter while we were in Greece

~ the vase with a sprig of viburnum flowers in it, perfuming my office this week, from a plant bought as a housewarming gift for us 17 years ago by...you guessed it

~ the Monet print hanging on the wall, the frame for which used to hang on the wall above the sofa in Gram and Pap's TV room

me and my Gram, playing on the beach in South Carolina, 11/09
In that moment, with that glance around me, I regained my perspective. She's still right here, in our memories, in our hearts, and in our surroundings, remaining a big part of our lives forever. We were so incredibly fortunate to know her, to be on the receiving end of the joy she was known to spread far and wide, and to wrap her in love in return through our words and actions.