a loss to us but a blessing in heaven...

i cant say that i have always felt this way, but since becoming a believer and putting my trust in God, i now feel more content with the idea that the ending of a life here on earth is something to celebrate rather than something to be sad or angry about. and i believe this even more so when you lose someone that you know was also on the right side with God. and that is the case i am dealing with tonight....

around 945pm last night, frank and i were watching the end of a movie when we heard our front door open. we expected my brother and lindsey for a game of cards, but instead we were surprised by my dad and beth, in tears...

approximately 8:00pm last night, our dearest and most beloved Nani peacefully took her last breath, while safely tucked in the comfort of her bed at the erie county home at the age of 93. it had been a day like any other, with one small suspision...she was apologizing to all her nurses for being a "crabby old lady" recently. well for any of you who have had the pleasure to know Nani, you can probably laugh at the idea of her claiming to be crabby...it doesnt happen!

i have had the pleasure of being a part of Nani's life for about 8 years now and in these years i have learned so much about what it means to be a good, honest and pure person. i regret that i never put more time into hearing more stories directly from her about her life, the lessons shes learned and the experiences she has had. but i know, from the stories that i have heard that she was a beyond exceptional woman. she was a wonderful devoted wife, to a man that passed before i became a part of the family. but from what i have heard he was just as amazing. they were able to share life together for a few years more after celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary! that alone is such an accomplishment...50+ together years is something i pray for everyday.

Nani was a birth mother to 4, an adoptive mother 3 and a foster mom to over a 100 more over the years. she was a grandmother, a great grandmother and beyond that...a great great grandmother to 4, with two more on the way! now that is something to celebrate!

i cannot even begin to describe how much it means to me and frank that we have had the opportunity over the last 3 years to share our children with such an amazing woman. i know they may be to young to actually have memories of her, but we have pictures and that is more than enough. we will be able to tell them stories about their nani as they are growing up and keep her spirit alive through the pictures we have taken over the years. it makes me sad to know they wont remember her love like we will but its her love that will prove as an inspiration to us to love our kids more everyday, to love each other more everyday. Nani loved everyone, to everyone she was Nani...it was a true rarity for anyone to call her by her name, Carmella...which was actually even her middle name. i didnt know until more recently, her first name was Mary...but Nani just suited her so much better!

i could probably go on typing forever and ever. but i will stop here, ill keep it simple, because i know that is just the way Nani would have wanted it. she wasnt the fussing type, and thats just one more thing that was so admirable about her!