Nana Connie

It's been a while. That seems to be the theme lately. We have been busy and especially busy since we just had to make a trip home to Abq for my Nana's memorial.
She passed away on May 12, 2010, she was over 93 years old. Talk about a long life. We knew she was getting close to the end as she had been experiencing some health problems but I still got a pit in my tummy when my mom called that night. My phone rang at 10:45pm and when I saw that it was my mom I didn't even say hello I just said "did she die?" You know when you get a late night call that it is serious and often somber news. At first I felt a sense of peace. My dad had told me that he thought she was suffering in the past few weeks and I know that 93 years on this earth is a lot of years. But then, I though of my sweet dad and how he must be feeling. I called him and his voice was thick. He said that in his eyes she had gone at 11:00am that day. He went to visit her, as he did every day several time a day. She did not want to take her medicine and she told my dad that she was ready to go. My dad told her "alright, mom, I will pray that you go". Right there, with his mothers hands in his, he prayed that she would be allowed to pass peacefully, and she lived about 12 hours from that very moment. I don't care how old you parents are, it still has to hurt and that is what broke my heart, thinking of what my dad must have been feeling at that moment when he had to make peace with the fact that his mother was passing away and that he would not ever be able to see her again, at least not in this life.
Luckily, all 6 of us kids and our families were able to travel to Abq for the memorial. It was really beautiful to see my family together, laughing, talking, reflecting, simply living. After all, if it weren't for my Nana, none of us would be here today. She was a kind and loving person and we will miss her very much. I am blessed to have know her so well and am very glad that Cooper got to know her while we were living in Abq.
We had a great time in Abq. I am so grateful to have such a large and loving family. I can't help but wonder if I am creating a legacy just like what my Nana began years ago. I bet when she was raising her 3 young children she had no idea that there would be nearly hundreds of humans on this earth because of her choice to have children. Now we are a strong close family and it all started with Nana and Po.