Brian and I spent the weekend in Athens, IL (outside of Springfield). Brian's grandma, Grandma Peg, passed away last week and we were there for the visitation and funeral.
Grandma Peg was a great lady. She loved the Lord and loved her family. She was generous with her time, involved in every sort of activity one could imagine, and she was a champ at knitting. The first time I was to meet her, Brian told me she wasn't your typical grandma and that if I was sarcastic (my favorite kind of humor), she would dish it right back. Having only known her for five years, I grew to love and appreciate her.
With the flood of visitors and stories, I was reminded of how Peg and Kennedy (her late husband) were instrumental in starting a foreign exchange student program in the area. They both loved meeting people from different countries and cultures, always welcoming them into their home. I think that is why, when so many other people from that generation would not appreciate adoption, she was excited when Ginger and Chance adopted, and then when we told her we were also adopting.
This weekend was hard for so many reasons. Saying good-bye is never easy. But I am thankful that the gifts she imparted to her children and their children will continue - love for God and family, love for other cultures, and stressing the importance of generosity and service. Our kids may never meet Grandma Peg, but they will know of her in the values she passed on to our family.