Grandma Summers

Last month,

my Grandma
Shirlene Joann Summers

passed away quietly in her sleep.

Ending her sad struggle with Dementia.

She was a great example to me of the power a woman can have to not just influence,

but save her family.

When she was only 10, 

her mother suddenly passed away.

She, as the eldest, was tasked with butchering meat and feeding her family.

That explains why she was such an amazing cook.

She was very practiced at it.

She knew heartache well.

Her first husband

(my mother's father)

left her rather unexpectedly with a toddler and my mother as a newborn.

But she pressed on without him.
Driving school buses, working in factories,

or whatever job allowed her to still be the smiling 

and carefree mother her daughters needed.

She soon after met my grandpa, who had been in a similar first marriage.

Their love healed two broken hearts and families.

With his own two children,

my mother and her older sister were adopted 

into his family,

and that was that.

Bud Summers became their one and only father.

His exact words to me, 

"They were never my adopted daughters, 

I loved them that much."

And I'm immensely grateful.

Bud and Shirlene went on to have 2 more children together.

A fine family of 6 kids.

She was a very petite woman,

but she made up for it with a ginormous spirit.

No one would dare talk back to her,

because she could spit fire if she needed to.

But, to her grandchildren,

she was the grandest of them all.

Absolute kindness and love.

My fondest memories of her include the masses of plants she kept in her house,

and the ornate and exquisite gardens she kept outside in her yard.

I understand now how much hard work she put into them.

As a child that was the favorite place to play,

because Grandma didn't just create a garden,

she was paving my imagination!

That garden could be anything I wanted, 

and we played hours of pretend 

amongst the gorgeous bushes and flowers of all colors and smells.

She was a genius problem solver.

When we would all get together,

She would take a carton of ice cream 

and just cut the cardboard straight off the ice cream.

Then she would carefully slice the ice cream into equal cubes for all the grandkids.

I loved her square ice cream cubes!

She had the most infectious giggle!
She made you feel like everything you said 

was the funniest thing she'd heard that day.

Even though we lived and grew up in Texas,

Ririe, Idaho was were we always wanted to be.

That's were Grandma's house became our own.

My mother's heart never really left.

She was always happiest during our visits there.

My middle name Joann is after my Grandma's

and I'm very proud of it.

Family funerals always come with sweet reunions amongst the living!

Uncle Nick flew in from Detroit, MI.

He quickly gained an admirer.

And Parker quickly pointed out his height has now equaled his Uncle's!

Nick never really grew past the pre-pubescent stage.

(just kidding Nick)

He's just got Grandma Summers genes!

Tess and Ty came along with the ever darling SUMMER!

The girl who steals away all the attention...

...And with whom we SMOTHERED with affection!

Maybe a little too much!

Cora's exact words at this moment were,

"She likes me!!"

Girl can't take a hint.

Not even when Uncle Ty is resting on the couch,

She thinks he's just playing a game called,

Cora please wake me up!

We kept Tess occupied with lots and lots of highlights!

Colette's first ombre!

We also went kitten shopping amongst Michelle's new litters! (yes, plural)

DOES THIS WEEKEND GET ANY CUTER!?

Yes, yes it does.

Summer is at her gabbering phase.

She dominated all the conversation.

Unless she was with Uncle Nick.

He left her stupified!

We also made sure to have lots of Grandpa Summer's time 

to help him through this difficult change in his life.

He already feels very deeply the loss and loneliness this new chapter of life will bring.

But we will do our best to smother him 

with our love and gratitutde.

The funeral was beautiful and full of love.

My talented family, and our cousin Jenna sang a lovely rendition of

O My Father.

My mother's family.

left to right:

Uncle Ben (the youngest), 

Aunt Sherri (my mother's older sister),

 Aunt Jolene (the oldest girl), 

Grandpa Summers, 

and Aunt Lona (the youngest sister).

It was a beautiful sunny day!

Michelle is really thriving in photography!

She made an adorable album of photos from the event.

Like Mitchell stuffing his face with Mac N' Cheese.

Don't ever want to forget that!

Or that something in Mavery's teeth!

(I had to Mae... payback!)

just kidding.

Jack-Jack and MO!

The luncheon after was full of much laughter and tears!

Here is my darling cousin also named Ashley,

so she's a no-brainer favorite.

And her new darling baby girl.

There were actually lots of new baby girls amongst our cousins.

(and even more cowboy hats)

This sweet girl is named Miracle.

My cousin Sadie (seated right) the new grandma,

calls her Whip.

Love you Sadie!

New life to help us all cope with the passing of a darling Grandma.

The surviving Summers Family

Yes Lona, they are your sisters,

and there's nothing you can do about it.

Sweet Aunt Lona with Mo and Nick

Summer brightening up the gloom

This is my favorite picture.

It depicts these two people to perfection.

My brother Nick always telling an amazingly funny story,

and Heather with her loud, infectious laugh!

Nick also the caring listener,

with my giant hearted cousin Matt

who is recovering from stomach cancer

the second time.

(He's a superhero)

This is me trying to convince my Grandpa to come live at my house.

Apparently the above ground pool and loud children weren't a selling point for him.

He knows in this family,

he'll never be alone!

Max and Parker

best of friends!

Little Mitchell jumping into the fun as well!

And Mavery and Colette turning into real beauties!

With one last ice cream cone...

(Go ahead Addie, take your bite!)

It's time to say good-bye to our lovely family!

But good-byes are never forever,

a Clark family reunion is coming in June!

So stay tuned...

And speaking of reunions,

as much as we miss our Grandma,

and the realization that that phase of life is behind us,

I find immense joy thinking 

of her seeing her mother again

after so many years.

And her father, sister, 

and her daughter (my mother)

Peggy Sue.

And having a perfect memory of who they all are.

Now that's a family reunion to smile about.