one last time

this morning my gramma passed away.

if you remember, i've written about her on occassion {here and here}.

i saw her just yesterday. to be honest, after that visit i wanted her to go. seeing her like that made my heart hurt. we had to put her in an assisted living last month. i went and visited her every week. i am so grateful that i did that. each week her health got worse but that experience really did something to me.

kinda changed me.

so for you, my readers, {and for me} here is one last story...

this was my last actual conversation with gramma. i went to visit her at the "place." i was kinda anxious since the last time i visited, when she was awake, she was upset and just kept asking me to take her home. but this time was different. it seemed like she had accepted the fact that this was her new "place." for now.

i walk in and find her in the common area. that's usually a good sign. and she's awake. could be a bad sign...i walk up and give her a hug.

me: hi, gramma

gramma: hi, dear

me: how are you doing?

gramma: oh, okay. they brought me out here...i don't know why.

me: well i think they are getting lunch ready for everyone.

gramma: oh, how's your husband?

me: {surprised she seems to know who i am} he's good. he's at work.

gramma: you're happy?

me: yes. very happy.

gramma: good. you sure picked a good one.

me: yeah, i did.

gramma: now, who are you again?

me: lizzie. i'm richard's daughter. i'm your granddaughter.

gramma: oh, i'm sure lucky to have a granddaughter like you. to come visit me.

me: well, i come because i love you gramma.

gramma: love you too dear. now...where's my husband?

me: ummm...gramma, your husband died. two years ago.

gramma: i know, not my first husband. he died. i'm looking for my second husband.

me: gramma, you don't have a second husband.

gramma: {looking incredulous, responded with a laugh} honey, yes i do.

after about an hour of visiting i told her i had to leave.

gramma: oh no, do you really have to go? i had such a nice visit.

me: yeah, i do have to go. but i'll see you again soon, okay?

gramma: okay, dear.

me: love you, bye.

gramma: love you too.

she was stubborn, sweet, caring, persistant, witty, caring, and interested.

i'm gonna miss her.

see you again soon, gramma.

xo. lizzie

beautiful people

do you see these beauties?
i don't know why but i have been blessed with some of life's most precious gems. there's something to say about making a friend {even if you're related} and then keeping that friend for years on end. and i mean really being friends...like i know the details of their lives, their joys, their fears, their successes, their past, their present...and they know mine.

they can predict how i'm going to react, tell me when i'm overreacting and comfort me when i've lost myself.

this one's not as good, due to the wind and chill factor. {mind you this was jan. 3rd}

but there are a few dear friends of mine in this pic that are not in the first.

i feel like in life there are two different types of people. there are those people who need other people and there are those that would rather tough it out on their own. over the years i've discovered i am a little of both types...

most of the time i like to try and tough it out on my own and see how far i can get, but then i find out my dad needs open-heart surgery and for a month i keep it all in, thinking non-stop about the fact that i could literally be an orphan at age 17...so finally i break and tell katie, sobbing in the olympus highschool parking lot.

or just a few weeks ago when we put my gramma in an assisted living and she hated us. i tried to act so tough, visiting her with a smile on my face, every wednesday. but then when i go to leave she holds my hand tighter saying "no, please. please don't leave me here. let me come live with you. i'll sleep on the floor!" that's when i break. and my sweet, sweet steve gets to pick up the pieces. and watch to me cry my eyes out while he just holds my hand and listens...

so i guess when it really comes down to it...i'm the type that needs people. thanks for being my people

friends, romans, countrymen

in two weeks we'll be here...

then here

and then here

can't. even. wait!

haiku

yesterday, while driving in the car, steve and i randomly decided to create haikus for eachother. i cleverly made one up right there on the spot. sadly, i can't even remember it because it was so lame. but it was rhyme-y and clever. something about how i thought he was super hot and i liked him alot.

anyway, so then i asked steve if he was ready to share his. he sweetly told me he needed more time. i prided myself on my quick wit and mocked him for his lack of speed.

well, this morning i was humbled when i awoke to a text from steve. (he leaves for work early, while i continue sleeping peacefully, then sends me a text around 9:30 to make sure i wake up at a reasonable hour. haha.)

so this text, it was my haiku. or his haiku for me, rather.


Face of an angel
Tender heart, my perfect match
Smitten from the start


in gramma hart's words i " sure picked a good one." :)

love this boy.

crafty lady

Recently I have become quite talented. I made a this at Ellen's Annual Quilting retreat.


and these curtains for our bedroom, in my spare time. pretty sweet, huh?
i'm ready for my next project...any ideas??

made by me

my dear sweet - and fellow unemployed- friend, Jennifer posted this to her blog and since i miss her acutely there was no way i could pass up a chance for a homeade gift from her.

so now i'm doing the same!
here's the deal:

The first three people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2. What I create will be just for you.
3. It'll be done this year (anytime).
4. You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a story. It may be poetry or an article on properly cleaning your face before a masque. I may draw or paint something. I may bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!

5. The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must repost this on your blog and offer the same to the first 3 people who do the same on your blog.The first 3 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did, win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me! Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!"

that is all. now write me some comments!
oh and it wouldn't hurt if the comments also included some form of flattery.
i'm jus sayin.' :)

the salt flats

a few weekends ago steve and i headed west to the salt flats. neither one of us had been there before and we were simply amazed at the natural beauty. the ground is just covered in salt... it looks like snow but...it's not.

no snow but still cold. after walking around out there we had salt caked on the bottoms of our shoes like 2 inches deep. we made little trails everywhere we went for the next 2 days. :)

isn't this picture sweet? i cannot get over it. remember, it's salt people!

and yes, once again steve is the photographic bomb.com.

{also present yet not pictured, steve's brother BD and his wife Savannah. we totally love them.}