Grandma Sims died.  People tell me how sorry they are, but truth be told, when I found out my heart gave a little leap of joy.  That may seem so unfeeling, but here's why:

My grandma lost her husband and two year old baby girl, Loraine, in the same devastating car crash.  She has also suffered from Alzheimers disease for the past 15 years.  Towards the end, she kept trying to find Loraine and Mac.  She would say;  "I can't find Loriane!  I think something happened to her."  Or;  "I don't know where Mac is... I think he might be dead."

It was as though she had to relive that pain over and over again.  

When I received news of her passing, all I could think was,  "Finally!  Finally after all these years she gets to see them again.  To feel the strength and security of her husbands arm around her, to hear the delicate laughter of her child.  To tell them how much she has missed them and how many years her heart ached for them."

I can't imagine loosing either my husband or my child, and I can't imagine having to wait to live out my life before I was able to be with them again.

I am so happy for my grandma!

On a lighter note, like I mentioned before, Grandma suffered from alzheimers and I must say she did some very silly things. 

Grandma had 5 children, 3 sons and 2 daughters.  Bill, her oldest, moved in with her when her alzheimers was just beginning to manifest itself.  Whenever she couldn't find something (something that she hadn't had for 50 years) she would blame Bill.  The worse her condition became, the more poor Bill got accused of evil doings.  Even after he moved out, Bill was still the culprit for missing items.  Grandma had bars put on all her windows, because she thought Bill would sneak into her house at night as steal various treasures.  Bill had become, in her mind, the cause of all her ails.  Grandma had to be put into an assisted living facility because she was no longer able to take care of her own needs.  My dad, Don, was the one given the task of taking her there.  He was worried about his assignment, knowing that my grandma's reaction was not going to be pleasant.  I told him, "Don't worry Dad, she'll forget it was you that took her there anyway and just blame Bill."  Sure enough, about a week after they had moved her into the facility, she said to my parents as they were visiting her, "That darn Bill! He brought me here and left me!  I can't believe he would do such a thing!"

My grandma was always trying to escape her new home.  She would move from door to door rattling the handles and trying the locks.  One day she said to one of the workers, "How do you get out of this place?"  The worker kindly told her there was no way out.  "Well, what do you do if there's a fire?"  She asked disgustedly.  "Don't worry Brenna, if there's a fire we'll get everyone out safely."  My grandma perked up at this and said.  "Ah!  So there is a way to get out.  All I have to do is start this place on fire!"

I love you Grandma.  Thank you for your amazing life.  For your courage in raising 4 children alone.  For your strength of spirit.  For your spunk.  For you candy dishes and gum.  And most of all for your sense of humor, laughter and funny stories.