Great Grandma Henrietta

Great Grandma Henrietta passed away last week on February 4th. As we told the kids she was very tired, at 88 she had lived a long, happy life. We were fortunate enough to go and visit her on February 2nd before she passed away. Scott, Lila and I had a really nice visit with her on Saturday, Eva not surprisingly, was a bit apprehensive about the whole thing. Lila made up for it by requesting to go and visit Grandma Henri 3 separate times in her hospital room. She is such an old soul; not afraid, so brave and caring.

Scott and I found out that his grandma's health was going down hill and that we needed to get on the road for a visit asap. We were in the car driving home from Lila's basketball game and quietly discussing the circumstances (not with the kids but amongst ourselves) so we thought when Eva gasped from the backseat, "gasp...Grandma Henri's dieing?" I'll never forget her gasp. It's such a sweet, innocent, sad reality for a 3 year old to first encounter the death of a family member. So sad.

Her funeral service was on February 8th at St. Rita's Catholic Church in Tacoma. This was a first for our family and certainly a first for the girls. A long Catholic Service (rosary, mass and a service at the cemetery). The kids were so well behaved along with their cousins Chloe (4) and Gavin (2) it was remarkable. I told the girls that Grandma Henri would be watching them today as an incentive to be good. Between two car rides to Tacoma within one week they asked SO MANY QUESTIONS I think we've covered all possible death questions from kids. {What happens when you die? Where does your body go? What happens to your skin? Where does your r heart go? and many, many excruciating as well as humorous questions} We told the girls that your heart/soul goes to heaven and they reasonable accepted that Grandma Henri would in fact be watching them. And, she was. They were all 100% perfect angels.

We had a great time celebrating like most Italian families; eat, drink and eat some more. It was fun for the girls to see their cousins that they don't get to see very often and for us to see Scott's extended family. That said, Great Grandma Henri will be missed.

*At 88 I believe that Henrietta was the number 1 reader of this blog. Not a month went by that she didn't send me an email thanking me for updates on the girls.

At St. Rita's before the service. It was such a beautiful day.

One tired girl after a big day.