Turning 50, Party and Grandma!

Back in July, I turned 50.... My sister and mother "surprised" me with a wonderful birthday party at a wonderful local restaurant. I had so many family members and two of my very best friends there. It was so wonderful! After the party, my mom, sister and all of our girls went to visit Grandma Moon at the nursing home. She was in the best mood, talking, kidding around and just having one of her good 'ol Grandma Moon days. I took her my flowers from the party.... I know of no one that LOVES flowers as much as Grandma. She wanted to wear my crown and ask if we would take a picture of her in it. This was a rare request from my Grandma, she has always hated having her picture taken. We stayed around for awhile having the best of time! At the time none of us knew this would be Grandma's last good day. Sad to say the next day and the few days until her death were bad. I had the opportunity to speak at Grandmothers funeral. I wanted us all to celebrate the 93 years of full out living she had. At the end of this post I will honor her again by sharing with you the wonderful life she lived!

My 50th cake~ Red Velvet Cheesecake!!!

Best Friends.... Debbie and Julie!

Family.... Yes, this is my Mom (She always looks this awesome) sister Sonya, daughter Whitney, niece Meredith with Great niece Emma, and niece (like daughter) Lauren!

Grandma wearing my crown!

July 25, 2010
Grandma Moon

Until the end, Grandma found joy in the simplest of things. Being connected to a breathing machine at the end, she would take her breathing tube to lasso her nurse, all the time smiling and knowing she was up to her mischievous ways. At the nursing home, she ventured down to Mr. Murray’s office to be turned away by the office Staff. She was convinced they thought she was trying to kidnap him. Her reason for visiting him??….. “I just wanted to tell him how much I appreciated him having a place for all of these little old ladies”. Even in the nursing home, Grandma never wasted her time. She could be found riding in her wheelchair while pushing other patients in their wheelchairs down the hall. She always had to find herself either being playful, helping others or getting in trouble because of her fanny kicking’s to the staff. She loved to kick fanny, That was Grandmother...

As far as her family, she was continually giving us advice on how to run our lives. One day after sitting awhile and talking about the news of Campton, grandmother looked up and said, “Yvette, You need to remember that you must always protect your name!” I knew exactly what she was speaking of, but I sat there and listened, trying to grasp each and every word. She explained to me that in much earlier days, times were hard for her. She was raising four children on her own and during those days it was not easy. Grandmother continued on telling me that she had made hard and difficult decisions because she wanted to be the best role model for her children.
She wanted to make decisions for her family that would become a pattern lived throughout generations.
Her desire was to work hard, to give hard and to love hard.
So many times she would tell us things we didn’t want to hear… but Grandmother was never scared to tell the truth regardless of who was on the receiving end. She wanted to be the good example, to keep her name strong in the community and with her family. Most of all, she wanted all of us to carry on that same example. I know these words of wisdom were repeated often to all of her grandchildren, with our desire being to live up to the example she set for us.

Grandmother’s words ring so true….
As a parent, she taught us that we have to live the way that we want our children to live.
If we want them to love Christ… We have to love Christ!
If we want them to serve others… We have to serve others.

Grandma loved her family and always showered love on people who walked through her door. She always welcomed others with her daily efforts of making life easier for them. Walking in her back door you were greeted by her well-tended flowers, a different one blooming each month as well as the smell of the food that she had cooked for the day, waiting for whoever showed up at her kitchen table. Most of the time, you would find her sitting at her sewing machine, making and taking care of clothes, baby doll clothes and quilts for those she loved. I never remember a day that Grandma’s back door was locked to anyone.

Grandma Moon was the most precious, of the most precious grandmothers. She has blessed so many lives and I think Grandma would hope nothing less than for us to carry on her legacy of love and kindness with our family and friends. She provided us all with tiny nuggets of wisdom that she would want us to cherish for generations to come.

Our grandmother has always been an example of a strong, accomplished woman. She has so many people that love and admire her. I hope that as a Proverbs 31 woman I can keep the Moon name strong through loving Christ and serving others as she did!

Today we have to Rejoice and Praise God because we know that Grandma is in the multitudes of angels. Knowing how much she loves a family gathering, I know that she is having one incredible celebration, rocking hard in her rocking chair, Bebe, her dog, in her lap and smiling from ear to ear. I know Grandma looked into God’s eyes and He said, “Well done my good and faithful child.” Again, thank you for being here and joining our family as we celebrate the wonderful life she lived.