My Grandma

As you all know, it's been an extremely busy summer what with the remodeling, weddings, college etc...we also managed to throw into the mix my grandma's death and funeral. I don't mean to sound frivilous but we have joked about it being the summer of two weddings and a funeral. As it turns out, we actually had three weddings and two funerals...my mom and dad's wedding (as previously mentioned) and also my former step dad's funeral (which is today). But I digress...
Hazel LaVelle Parks Behrmann was an amazing woman. She was an expert at so many things, among them were gardening (one of our most favorite memories was to go up to grandma's house in Deweyville and dig for potatoes). Her flower gardens were well known to many, in fact as a side note, the people who bought grandma's house about 4 years ago came to her funeral and brought a lovely bouquet from grandma's garden. That was so touching. Grandma loved to sew and did it well, she was an immaculate housekeeper to the point that it was a little stressful taking our little kids there for fear they would mess something up. She loved to paint with oils and created some beautiful pieces of art. She was an amazing decorator. Her house did not look like an old ladies house. Grandma loved to create traditions and memories for the great grand kids. Among the most favorite were the easter parties at her house. They had about an acre I think and we hid dozens of plastic eggs all over the yard. When grandpa was still alive, he used to tell us about the eggs he found later in the summer. We always had a wonderful Christmas party complete with Christmas china, gifts etc..but our most favorite part was the white elephant gift exchange where we tried like crazy to think of some far out and crazy gift for grandpa to open. He was always such a good sport about picking the gift the grandkids pointed out for him even though he knew it would make him the butt of the joke. For instance, the blonde hair dye, super hugemongous bra which he promptly put on and stuck chocolate oranges in and many others. Good times!
Grandma also had some faults. She could be cranky, picky, cold, ornery and very particular, but she was my grandma and I loved her nonetheless. Grandma missed grandpa who had passed away in 1997. She was afraid to die, very afraid. I'm so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who allowed her to pass from this earth life as quickly as a blink of an eye. We believe she didn't know what hit her it was so fast. What a way to go. And now, she is with grandpa, this I know without a doubt and it makes me so happy to know that they are together once again and will be forever. I will miss her but I'm so grateful for the legacy and talents that she left us all.

I've included some pictures. I love the picture of grandma, mom and aunt sandy in grandma's kitchen. The rest are from the gravesite. My family, my aunts family, my uncles family and a picture of myself and my siblings minus Wendy who was unable to come from Iowa since she had just been here a few weeks before for Holli's wedding. It wasn't the same without her.