Our Ohana: January 2009

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Dec-Jan '08-'09 Iowa trip

Devin & I took kind of a last minute trip back to Iowa after Christmas. My gramma Mae was in an extended care facility after a few small strokes and losing her vision, so we went to visit her. We had Christmas with my family while we were there. On our second day back gramma was called to heaven to be an angel. We were very fortunate to get to spend her last days with her. It's a time I'll never forget...it meant the world to me. It was a sad time, but also wonderful to be home with my family. We celebrated New Year's Eve at my Mom & Dad's house with the kids...Devin loved all the noise and excitement! Then we had gramma's visitation and funeral. That day we mourned, and that night, my gramma's whole family...children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren gathered at her apartment to eat, drink, be merry and celebrate her life! We had fun...some of us more than others as you'll see in the pictures below!

Christmas in Iowa

New Year's in Iowa

Don't they look excited!

My sissy

Devin with her wavy hair after her braids

After grandma Mae's funeral

At grandma Mae's apartment...when things were still calm!

Me and my sissy

Devin & her cousin, Max

Now things start to let loose!

Here's me in some of grandma Mae's favortie old clothes!

Me & my nephew, Ryan

Me, my niece, my sis, my cousin's fiance, and my cousin dressed up in grandma's clothes

And here we are after a little too much beer and wine...dressed up in grandma's old clothes...dancing...and celebrating grandma's life...just the way she would have wanted!