♥

To my grandmother…

Thanks for everything grandma, love and miss you. ♥

Dear Gramma (as you always preferred to spell it),

I still can't believe you're gone…

This happened too soon but I'll always remember the time we shared. All the summers up in Hiawassee, taking walks, going down to the creek. Playing cards until bedtime. How you used to say you'd take me to Vegas for my 21^st birthday. We still had fun those summers, even with "no television".

The trips to Jacksonville too, I always loved that house. And I thought it was amazing that for that year in first grade, I got to live at the house my mom grew up in, in her old room.

I think the most special time we had together was that last trip to Jax, the last time I got to see you. That was in November… I wish I would have come to see you again…

You always told me how proud you were of me, whether it was for my report card of straight A's or for starting my own shop. Those first photos I took, the ones that inspired me to do all this, they were there in Jax. The "famous" works in progress print… I looked at it yesterday and it made me a little sad to see it. I will always think of you and grandpa when I look at now. And how you were so proud of that photo, that you got a print of it and hung it up in your kitchen. Right by the window, even though you could look outside to see the real thing.

And how you sent me all those vintage buttons and things for me to use in my jewelry. Those moonglow-looking ones made the prettiest rings for my shop. And guess what, I sold every last one of them :)

And when Mom called yesterday to tell me that you had gone, one of the first things she said after was that you loved me very much and you were always so proud of me. I don't know if I've ever really thanked you for that, but you and Mom were probably my biggest fans. So thanks :)

Another thing I'll never forget is what you wrote in my card for my 16^th birthday, some advice that I've still remembered these past three years. You knew all that was going on in my life then, and you wrote that you wanted me to go out and live my life, and most importantly "not be afraid of it". I cried when I read that, and I think about it pretty often.

So thanks again, you mean so much to me, and I don't know if I ever really told you that. I wish I would have gotten the chance to spend more time with you; I only got to know you for 18 ½ years. And I thought we'd have a lot more time…

We all miss you so much, and my heart just aches for all those you left behind. But Mom is right, now you're not suffering anymore. Say hi to grandpa for me, tell him I wish I'd gotten the chance to know him too. I was so little when he died that I don't really have any memories, just old photos and a couple videos. I guess I'm lucky that I did get the chance to know you better. You both left way too soon, and it makes me so sad… But I'm so thankful for the time we did get. I'll always remember.

love always,

Kelsey.