Goodbye to Grandma

I just received an email from one of my loyal readers asking if everything was ok because I haven't posted in a few days. That was sweet. It's nice to be missed.

Maggie is fine, but things are not OK here. Maggie lost one of her her biggest fans.

My mother in law, Branca McDonald, passsed away Monday morning. She was a lovely woman and adjusting to this loss will take a long time.  Her passing was not unexpected, but no matter how prepared you think you are, there is shock and sorrow when the time actually arrives.

Over the past weeks, I watched my husband, his brother and his sister care for their mom and help their dad in innumerable ways. This is not surprising because that's how this family has always operated. And they learned that from their mom. Ed, my father in law, also exudes this quality, but Branca was something else when it came to family. "Family first" doesn't begin to describe it. It's more like "family first, middle and last."

This line from her obituary probably sums her up best: "Full of life and spirit, Branca loved living in Pleasanton; she loved her Church, her family and friends, flowers and everything positive. She had a smile, a hug and a prayer for everyone and finished every conversation with “ I love you.”

So I may be absent a bit this week as we all prepare to give her the send off she deserves.  If you pray, please include her and all of my husband's family. Branca was a very religious woman and she will appreciate it.  If you don't pray, just send some positive thoughts for this lovely lady.

We will miss you Grandma Branca.