My grandmother passed away this past week, on the last day of 2009 ... just before noon on New Year's Eve.  She was 88 years old, and lived a long wonderful life  She had four kids, 7 grandkids, and 3 great-grandkids with a 4th on the way.  She passed only hours after a visit with my cousin and his pregnant wife who came from Hawaii to see her.  She held on, just to get to meet her 4th great-grandchild, gently touching that little bump of a zygot, my cousin's wife just barely showing at about 4 or 5 months.  In the last moments, she called for my grandfather, kissed him and told him she loved him, and then she passed away.

As sad as I am to have lost my grandmother, I know she lived longer than most, was surrounded by loved ones until the very end, and had my grandfather, her husband of over 6 decades, at her side. It may be the most romantic last moments of any life.

The funeral was really nice... for a funeral, of course. My aunt spoke on behalf of the whole family, and delivered a really nice eulogy in the form of a 1-sided conversation w/ grandma that drew both tears and a bit of laughter from the room. Then all 9 of my grandmother's sons, son-in-laws, and grandsons pushed/carried the casket (on a rolling cart) from the chapel through the cemetery down to the crypt (where I think someone had said her parents and other relatives are too, and the spot next to hers is reserved for grandpa). We all said a few more of the traditional Hebrew prayers in front of the crypt before we lifted her off the cart and pushed the casket into her spot in the crypt, after which the funeral employees re-attached a marble slab over the opening.

I didn’t see it, but several people said that a bald eagle was perched right above us the whole time, and that just as they re-attached the slab, it flew away. Several people too great comfort in this seemingly symbolic synchronicity.

I learned some things I'd never known before about my family this weekend, the funniest of which is a single sentence describing the night my grandparents met: she was drunk, and he was beautiful.  Everyone else in the family seemed to know that story, but I didn't recognize it.

There's really so much more to say... I am almost overwhelmed with thoughts and memories of this past weekend; too much to write; too much to absorb.

I'm thinkin' of you, Grandma.  Thanks for everything.  I love you.