Granny

*Granny & John last summer 2015*

                            Two weeks ago, we lost granny, John's maternal grandmother Ida Croce. From my earliest days with John, while we were still in high school, I remember visiting her house in Palmdale for delicious lunch and conversation.

*John and I in 2003 just before we got married*

I was immature and i'm sure had little etiquette (i've got a smidgen more now haha) and at the time probably never would've imagined i'd be bringing my many children, her great-grandchildren to that home.

Over the next 13 yrs, I grew to know her and her story, my children's heritage and how she came here from Italy in the 1930's after having been born in Massachusetts in 1921, and leaving as a toddler. We have great memories and photos of time spent with her smiling at her great-grandkids. She was 95 yrs old, never lost her faculties, or her feistiness--one of her last comments was mocking Hillary Clinton's plastic smile haha. She was lucky to be taken care of by her daughters in her own home right up to the end. Her Catholic faith was strong and influenced our faith--she gave me many beautiful gifts like the family bible, with baptismal dates for each child and grandchild, and a lovely rosary that was of great comfort at a difficult time for me.

    It was ironic that during John's schooling last fall, he was assigned a narrative essay in his english class and I helped him write it about granny's story. I will share it soon--thinking about putting it on youtube and narrating it. I feel fortunate to have her story to pass on to our kids. I pray she is welcomed into the arms of God and with her twin sister, brothers and parents. <3 p="">
    So we dropped everything and packed up to drive out there for her funeral mass. I was volunteered by Teresa to sing a song at what I thought was the reception, which quickly turned into playing/singing 4 songs FOR the mass! I was honored to do this, but was nervous and really scared that I might mar her memorial. I wrote a short eulogy, which I could barely make my way through. The hardest part might have been the last song I chose, when I saw John's dad Stan in the back with baby Toni, crying hard. I had never seen this man cry, and then I realized mid-song how he has been married to Louise for 45 yrs, and therefore has known granny just as long. Granny brought so many family and friends out, and I pray they are strengthened in their faith and hope. Teresa read from Revelation and had to bring Eustace up with her--who predictably kept grabbing the mic. We all knew granny would've loved that :) She really enjoyed watching Eusty sit up and smile at her last summer:

*Granny greeting a smiling Eusty one morning last summer*

<3 p="">Here are a few pictures Teresa took at the service:

*Probably the most moving Mass I've attended*

*Before the service: Matt & Kallen, Steven, Jerry, Tim, Lori, Linda, Teresa, Pauline & Sierra*

*Was so honored to sing for granny*

*We watched as she was placed next to her husband grandpa Eustachio Croce.*

Here she is with her 3 children: Pauline, Jerry & Louise

<3 p="">I will be putting together various videos/slideshows soon. :)