Grandma Harris....

Sunday is Mother's Day so I thought it would be fun to pay tribute to the wonderful women I have had in my life. I want to start with my sweet Grandma Harris. There never has been or ever will be another person like her in the world. I have many special memories of my sweet Grandma. I remember the long skirts she used to wear, the way should would always get down on the floor and play games with me for as long as I wanted, the tea parties she used to have for me and my cousins, her spunk, and mostly the love she had for me. My Grandma taught me one of the most valuable lesson in the world, and she probably doesn't even know it. My Grandma died almost exactly one month before Ava was born. We knew her time was limited so my Mom flew me out to Utah so I could say goodbye. We didn't think she would make it through the night so when my flight landed we went straight to the hospital. It was so overwhelming to walk into that hospital room and see her laying there looking so small and fragile in that big hospital bed. Well, she didn't die that night, she actually hung on for the rest of the week! But during that week my heart began to change. It was sitting there in that hospital room surrounded by my family that I realized how important all of those people were to me. I realized how important family is to me. It is hard to describe in words the feelings that I felt, but it was sitting there in that room that I really started to know what I had to for the baby girl that would soon be entering my world. I knew that I wanted her to grow up surrounded by the love that I felt in that room. I knew that she needed to grow up with knowing her family and that my best chance at giving her a family would be to move to Utah. I fought that feeling for some time, but eventually I mustered up the courage to do it. So, my Grandma's most valuable lesson to me was the importance of family. The importance of being here for each other, no matter the choices we make. The last time I really saw my Grandma, before she was dying, she took both of my shoulders in her hands, and with tears in her eyes, told me I needed to come home and let my family help me. I will never forget that! It is my belief that she and Ava spent one precious month together and that my Grandma told her to bring me home. I think a little of her spunk must have rubbed off on Ava. I miss my Grandma Harris so much! She was an amazing, beautiful women for which I feel lucky to have known.