I just returned from my grandma's funeral. On the flight down I made myself write down a few things that I especially loved about her. I shared these brief thoughts at her service and wanted to share them with you here.

One of the things I loved the most about my grandma was how much she loved to laugh. She laughed easily and often...and loud. Admittedly, her sense of humor tended to be a little on the mean side. I don't think anything made her laugh any harder than a minor injury (especially of the self inflicted variety). Scaring the daylights out of us ran a close second.

I loved spending time with her. I couldn't get enough of her. Some of my happiest days and nights were spent at their home, their cottage or their condo. They always made us feel so special, we were convinced that it made them enormously happy to have us there.

I loved how real my grandma was...there wasn't a phony bone in her body. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind and was fiercely loyal to her family. Not too long ago, the church they went to asked her if she'd take over the card ministry. She flatly told them no, that writing cards wasn't her bag. Her own grandchildren had never even received a card from her. My mom asked her what she would have answered if they'd asked her what exactly was her bag? She said she would have told them that eating and sleeping were her bag. That's classic Grandma, keeping it real.

I loved how good Grandma smelled, and Papa too. Everything about them always smelled good...their home, their clothes, their car. I was always asking her what her secret was. I wanted my own home to smell like hers. I never found out, her secret potions remain secret.

I loved that my grandparents often sang in front of the church. I was always so proud of them, so attractive up there in their coordinating outfits. One of the songs they'd sing that stands out the most is "The Old Rugged Cross". The last verse says, "To that old rugged cross, I will always be true. Then He'll call me some day, to my home far away, where His glory forever I'll share". I'm so happy for Grandma, that God has ever so gently taken her to her Home far away and that she is finally reunited with my wonderful Papa, her mother and dad, her sisters, two of her children, my dad, my brother and so many others.