The whole of 2010 so far has been a wheel barrow load of self-searching and evaluation for me. Not all bad. Some pain. Some stuff I already knew, some new discoveries, some reminders. Most important of all, I’ve gained some personal clarity. Which feels really really good.
The clarity really happened just within the last week or so. Last weekend my Mom called to tell me that my Gramma wasn’t doing too well. And then there was another call, she was in the ICU. And then doing a little bit better on Saturday, into Sunday… and then Monday she’d taken a really bad turn, was on life support. Monday evening she passed away.
Part of me still can’t really comprehend it, but I think I’m able to be at peace about it now. I know that she’s in a better place. Because of my parents, I was able to go and attend the service in Minnesota. My dad and I made this for her:
I think the whole process of finding the pictures, scanning them in, adjusting them, putting them in order and all of it helped me to process it all. I’m not 100% keen on the song, BUT that is one of my Grandma’s favorites, and because of that, I can’t seem to shut it off…. it just reminds me of her. I guess it will take a while to fully realize that she’s just not around in physical form any longer, but it’s OK; I can deal with that. I hope I can encourage my Grampa to deal with it too! I know he can, but I’m sure it’s so much harder for him! Anyway…
I also have some plants in paper pots that I made! They’re half made from phonebook pages, and half made from newspaper pages. But no pictures. Because I’m out of batteries. No good! 
I need a new camera, or at least some more batteries. Will pick those up asap!
As always, you can check in with Ms. Quicksilver and join in all the Craft Or Bust fun! 
That’s it for now…
So sorry for your loss of your Grandma – cyber hugs!!
I just found Animoto, and wish I’d had it last year when my mom died. I put together a slideshow of photos and it was okay, but the music that’s available on Animoto adds SO much. I felt the same as you – going through her photos that spanned her entire life, and then the lives of her children, was somehow very therapeutic and helped me remember that we had so much time together, even if it wasn’t as much as I wanted to have.