Granny...

I realized this was the last picture I took of Granny before she passed away on Tuesday morning, June 7th. During the 3 1/2 weeks that she was home with hospice we spent almost every night and weekends up ther visiting. There was always food around whether it was from friends and family sending food or the Aunts cooking. Granny's bed was set up in the living room next to the window. The kids would play in there like nothing was wrong. They liked to get in the bed with her and talk to her. Sophie figured out that when she said "Hi Granny" Granny would repeat her. She got smart and started saying "Hi Sophie" so that Granny would tell her hi:) Granny also said "Hi sugar" to her often and Sophie would say to me "Granny calls me sugar."

We tried to talk about what was happening with Sophie and let her know that Granny was sick and going to heaven. She said..."she is going to see your papaw Leroy?" We enjoyed the last weeks with her. She still had her good days when she was singing hymns with us. It did get really bad the last two days and it was hard to believe we thougth she was about to die before just seeing how drastic things changed. We were there late Sunday and Monday night, but were not there when she took her last breath on Tuesday morning.

The visitation was Wednesday night at the funeral home in Chapel Hill and the funeral was at the Methodist church on Thursday afternoon. There was a constant line wrapped around the funeral home from 5pm to 8:30pm. I think they counted close to 1000 names who signed the book in the two days. Granny was a special lady who did a lot for her community and had a lot of people she called friends.

Chad and two of his cousins spoke at the funeral and did an amazing job of honoring their Granny. It was obviously very sad, but I think she would have been proud. She is going to be missed dearly.

It is amazing how songs can really hit on emotions. We listen to 104.5 Solid Gospel a lot and during this time I realized there are so many songs about death and heaven. I had just heard "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" the morning before the funeral and thought...that would have been a good song for the funeral (I didn't realize Johnny Cash also did this song until I was searching for it on YouTube) When Chad told me the songs they had decided on that was one of them...what a coincidence! David Smith, a member of the church, came up from the back of the church playing his guitar and sang the song, encouraging us all to join in on the chorus. Uncle Michael sang "Thank You" that was done most recently by Ivan Parker. So appropriate for Granny. As we were pulling out in the funeral procession the song on Solid Gospel was The Hopper's song "Yes I am" lyrics..."I'm going to leave some glorious morning, yes I am. I'm going to cross the chilly Jordan, yes I am....I'm going to live in heaven someday, Yes I am." I love the song and it is real upbeat. The procession could have turned right at the light in Eagleville, but they took it down Allisona Rd. past Granny's house and came out on 31A to head to Triune that way. The song that was playing as we drove by the house was "Celebrate Me Home" by The Perry's. I had heard this song numerous times during Granny's illness and thought it was very appropriate for Granny. "Celebrate me home...celebrate me in that place, celebrate me saved me saved by grace. Don't just sit and weep for me because I'm gone....Celebrate me home." It couldn't have been more fitting to have it playing as we drove in her funeral procession past her home here on earth. Just as I was crying so hard I couldn't hardly see we come up over the hill and someone had made a cardboard sign saying something like "We will miss you Mrs. Lamb" can't remember exactly what it said. It is just amazing how many people loved Granny and what a legacy she is leaving behind.