Saying Goodbye to My Great Grandmother

This past weekend I traveled with my parents and Hank to Milpitas, California.  It was to say goodbye to my Great-Grandmother Catherine, whom we lovingly called Kay.  In order to remember her and all that she gave to us, we exchanged photos of her and her beloved family.

These are her three daughters in 1937, from left, Betty, Joan and Renee (my grandmother).

On the back of this photo is written:

Renee- Dress- Lavender

Joan - Dress- Pink

Betty - Dress- Blue

     

Most mothers write the age of their children on the back of photos, but not Grandma Kay. She wrote what color the dresses were because it was an important detail.  I love this about her.  So stink'n cute!

Here is the whole family.  The hair, the clothes, a very young Great-Grandma Kay, makes me smile. And if those curtains were flocked and in a deep jewel tone they would make some fabulous vintage modern curtains. Don't you think?  Also her husband, Grandpa Christiansen as my mother often referred to him, was a great guy, a very hands on father whom Kay never stopped loving or missing even when though he passed away in the early 70's.  

This one is my mother as a baby in Grandpa Christensen's arms and beautiful Kay smiling proudly next to him.  The other two scare me, they were my mother's other grandparents. 

Here is me in my Great-Grandma Kay's arms in 1978. I always felt that I was her favorite. This of course, was not true, but she had a way of making you feel like it was. 

 

 

This is a picture of a moment I wish I could go back to.  A gorgeous sunny day and a visit to the city of San Francisco with Great-Grandma Kay. 

So much of who she was will live on in her many grandchildren.  Her graciousness, her innocence, her unconditional love, her vanity and conservativeness, her love of family, her complete adoration for her daughters and her enduring love for her husband. 

In the end, amongst her family with grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren present, we layed her body to rest next to the love of her life.  And I am reminded that it is not our physical possessions that matter but those we love and that love us back.  They are the greatest gifts we ever receive in this life here on earth.