My Strong Example

Legit did not wear makeup on my 1st day because I was scared to get robbed, I have boys to live for!

Probably the coolest pic I got because we spent most of our time with Grandma; priorities.

It was Mexican Independence Day while we were there so we went to the big celebration Friday night for the traditional chant with the President and fireworks til midnight! These are my cute cousins with fake mustaches on their heads.

This is chunky Hudson when he was babe, she never got to meet James in person. She would call him Señor John Harding, the king of the house. Here she is enjoying one of my preggie pops for her sore throat :)

My grandma's name is Angela Blanco which translates to Angel White or White Angel which is fitting with her white colored hair. My grandma loves chocolate, exercise, parades and makes the best food I know even out of nothing. She always loved getting herself all dressed up and pretty with hair curlers and makeup. Most of all she is sweet, loving, strong and a very faithful woman. I always found her reading her scriptures and praying. She'd wake up before the sun to get ready for church every Sunday. When my parents divorced, she was there to take care of us when needed for different points in my life. She was the only grandparent I knew since the others passed away when I was a baby though all met me, but one. She taught me to forgive and love.

We have many funny inside jokes about my grandma, one being how we would find her laying on the floor in the most random places in our house snoring away and would scare the heebie jeebies out of us because we didn't expect her there! She will be 97 this October 1st. Right now, she is doing okay and I only say that because she is breathing and started eating very little again. She has dementia and is basically sleeping all day, but can't help herself. No walking or sitting up or anything on her own. She's not aware anymore, but has some feeling. Seeing her was an unexpected whirl of emotions for me since she has always been full of life and optimistic, I had never seen her like this. She is the definition of Miss Independent and living a full life. She was the skinniest I'd ever seen her and I realized she wouldn't recognize that I was there for her. Until spending my last day in Mexico with her, my cousins carried her out of bed into her wheelchair and we took her outside during a little reunion with some cousins. The sun awoke her and she saw me and recognized me. I could see it in her face, my mom did too. She held my hand (2nd pic above) and rubbed my arm before she fell asleep again. She soon after opened her eyes and as I leaned in to kiss her I heard and felt her effort to kiss me back cheek to cheek. I so badly wanted to fly her back to my house and keep her with me, but her wish is to be buried next to her son who passed when he was 9. 

I'm more grateful now knowing that she is returning to our Heavenly Father and that families are eternal. She is getting close to heaven and I can't imagine what a sweet reunion it will be to be with her son again. I'll have her strong example in my heart forever.