Grandma Joni

Most people count themselves lucky if they have 2 grandmas, but husband has had 4, yes 4, and only 2 Grandpas!! Someday I'll explain it all but now isn't the time for that. But I will say that my husband and I have been married for almost 13 years and I've had the privilege of knowing all 6 of his grandparents and I have to tell you my husband is a lucky man to have had these amazing people in his life to love him and influence him each in their own way.

We found out this morning that Grandma Joni died last night. We absolutely adored her! She was funny, sassy, kind, honest, and...well just the kind of woman you are glad you have in your life. She lived in Florida so we didn't get to see her often but whenever she came out here we would clear our schedules so we could have as much time with her as possible. We e-mailed and sent pictures & presents for holidays and birthdays. my husband's birthday was last Friday and he had just received her gift to him...a very nice polo, she always had great taste in clothes!

His Grandfather (Don) & Grandma Joni had a love that could be a romance novel. Seriously...it was WWII, Paris, France...She was an American nurse and and he was an American solider and recent divorcee. They fell in love and soon married. They had to overcome a LOT of obstacles and made HUGE sacrifices to be together. But they loved each other so they built a family and a life and continued to love each other.

When I met them they had already been together a very long time and yet they seems as much like honeymooners in love as any young couple I've ever met. He would open doors for her, pull out her chair, help her with her coat...just a true gentleman to the core. And when he would "help" her into the car and pinch her bottom she would still giggle like a school girl...honestly they were the sweetest couple I've ever know. When he died she was totally broken hearted and would always finish her e-mails or phone calls with how much she still loved and missed her beloved Don. She kept on living because that's what you do but a day never went by that she didn't think about or miss him dearly!

There is a song by Brad Paisley called "Waiting on a Woman", if you don't know it go look it up in Itunes or something but here are the lyrics for the last part of the song....

I've read somewhere statistics show
The man's always the first to go
And that makes sense 'cause I know she won't be ready
So when it finally comes my time
And I get to the other side
I'll find myself a bench, if they've got any
I hope she takes her time, 'cause I don't mind
Waitin' on a woman.

Honey, take your time, cause I don't mind
Waitin' on a woman...

I know without a doubt if there are indeed benches in heaven Don sat there and waited for her and last night she finally joined him. And that after the last few years apart they held each other once again. And while back down here on earth those of us who knew and loved Joni will hurt for her loss there is some solace in knowing that she is in heaven and with her God & the man she loved.