Marie's Garden

Matt's dad is selling their house in Kent and we'll be doing some projects to get it ready to sell. As we were going through the house today to create our task list, we found ourselves sad. I was sitting in the middle of the family room, house completely empty, and our kids were running around SO happy. They were thrilled to be running around in a house void of anything, a house they don't know, opening all the doors and exploring to their heart's content.
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Before we left our house to go there, Matt told them that we were going to Grandpa and Grandma's house, which of course to them means we're going to MY parent's house. I had to remind him to take it a step further and explain that it was HIS parent's house, and that actually no one lived there, it'd be an empty house. After Juliana had been running around in it so excitedly, she finally realized there was no one there. "Where's Grandma? Is she sleeping?" "No, honey, she doesn't live here anymore." She ran to the window which looks out at Marie's old garden, and she gasps and exclaims "I see Bamma! Look, right dare!"
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I felt like I was going to break down on the spot. As I looked at our three children in this empty house that they're having so much fun in, I came to the realization of how much MORE fun they'd be having if their "Grammy" were there, it made me sad. Sad to know that they'll never be able to play with her, read with her, get hugs from her, see the sparkle in her eye that only she possessed. They would have loved her so much!
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We are so extremely thankful to have my parents so close, they are absolutely in love with Grandpa and Grandma Hirst!!! They are constantly asking to go to their house and are overjoyed every time we round the corner into their driveway! And one day they will be all the more thankful when they realize that they were best friends with Earnie and Marie, and that they'll be able to share so many memories and teach them all about their Grammy.
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Jacob noticed some of the bricks in their back yard patio area were disarray and he promptly set to work trying to make it just right. I think Marie would have been overjoyed to know that Jacob was helping in her favorite spot, the garden area. When they asked again later where Grandpa and Grandma were, Matt told them that Grandpa lived by Disneyland and Grandma lived in Heaven. To which Juliana promptly replied "I want to go to Disneyland!" One day she'll realize how infinitely better Heaven is than Disneyland, but in the meantime Mommy would be more than happy to take her to Disneyland!
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Both sets of grandparents awaiting the birth

of their first co-grandchild, Jacob