Goodbye Grandma Bev

This past weekend my husband and I made a very sad trip to Iowa to say our final farewells to my husband's wonderful grandmother. The visitation and funeral were beautiful. And I will tell you now, pregnancy hormones make it just that much harder to deal with a loved one's passing. It's still very hard to believe she's gone. We are very grateful that we got to see her a few weekends ago, right after they found the tumor that took her life. But despite the reason it was a nice trip. We got lots of much needed family time in and got to see a friend of ours who was back home for the month between his military assignments.

The flowers we got from the bouquet at the very end of the funeral. The poor pink rose started wilting right away.

Step-Grandpa had already started going though her things so we got to take 3 of grandma's house plants home. He told me I could take as many as I wanted because if people don't take them they are just going to die since he doesn't have a green thumb like grandma had. And my husband got to take an old cigar box that had belonged to his grandpa (whom passed in 1999 from cancer). Inside was an old safety razor and pipe that had belonged to great grandpa. He was very happy to get those things.

A very beautiful peace lily, violet and ivy. I love the little behind and legs pot hanger, I hadn't even noticed it was there till we got home. But for some reason I find plants to be one of the best things to get from a passed loved one. I think it's because you know all the love and work they put into that plant. And keeping that plant alive and well can be a very meaningful way to keep someone's memory.

Today I'm 20 weeks pregnant. I think what has been hardest of all for me is knowing how excited grandma was to be a great-grandma. She was dropping some not so subtle hints last Christmas at my husband and I. My husband being the eldest grandchild (21 at the time) and first to get married.

Well tomorrow morning we find out the sex of the baby. We are very excited. But with this excitement there is some sadness and a bit of apprehension. My husband and I are going to be happy with whatever the baby is but since this has all happened even my husband who wanted a boy very badly is now hoping for a girl. Because if this baby is a girl, she is getting grandma's middle name Ann. My husband and I decided to wait till we know before we decided if it will be her middle name as well or if we will use it for her first name over the name we currently have chosen.