My legacy

Today was my Grandma Hartman's funeral, 7 short weeks after my granddad's. My grandparents were married for 63 years. I am filled with deep sadness and loss tonight and thinking about many things. She was my last grandparent to go and while she had not been in good health for years, her death was, at the same time, unexpected. A week before she died I was visiting her and we went to target, talked, laughed, and she talked a lot about how much she was missing granddad and how lonely she was. We had a lovely visit, and I never would have expected a week later that she would be gone. There are so many thoughts in my head and things I feel like at some time I should write down to record for myself so I don't forget.

Tonight I am thinking about the person my grandmother was. Some would say she was crazy at times...the things she did and said could be a book of their own. In spite of all of those things, she was a spirited, hard working, strong woman who loved her family like nothing else. She hated that we lived in Australia and were so far away. We loved her visits and she came bringing tons of things for us, among which was always enough crisco to make 40 or so apple pies to freeze for us to have after she was gone. She paid for my piano lessons for years, cooked massive amounts of wonderful things for our family gatherings, taught us to drive when we were 12 or 13 (or some other young age), rocked us (even when we were teenagers), and was always interested in what was going on in our lives. She had many dear life-long friends, and cared for many extended family members. While there were things about her that were not perfect there were many qualities that were so special. When I remember my grandma I will remember her fierce love for us that was unconditional, her cooking, her hollering and laughing, and the unique things she would buy for us that she thought we needed. I hope emulate some of her good qualities and be a person that has special life-long friends, is generous with everything I have, that gives quietly to those in need, that can cook and bake well, and raise my family up in the Lord.

Grandma was the hub of our family. I am wondering what things will be like with both of them gone. Sometimes it feels like this whole growing up thing is not so fun...I miss the innocent days of running and playing for hours on their farm land, fishing on their ponds, and hearing their stories of their lives in a small farming community. I will miss them forever...and always be impacted by their legacy of faith, marriage, and generosity. I am so proud to be a Hartman.


My grandparents house in Sayre. This farm was called "the home place". At this house I remember lots of Christmases, a constant supply of dr. pepper and candy bars, having cherry pie for breakfast, rabbit with squirrel gravy(not my favorite), quail, hours laughing in the upstairs room with my cousins, singing, and the town and home that my grandparents dearly loved.


One of the big trees in the drive way


My grandparents attended the Sayre church for many years. When Granddad died the verse that kept running in my head was Genesis 25:8- "Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people." My granddad also lived a full life, and towards the end of his life he suffered. I imagined him being gathered with the host of his relatives in heaven that had already finished the race.


Sunset across the western sky


I will always be reminded of my grandmother when I see the things she loved: butterflies, dishes, the state fair, sunsets, desserts, and her family.