looking back before moving forward

tonight, mom and dad and rob and i went out to dinner with my mimi. mimi is my dad's mom and she is my only living grandparent and so therefore is even more special than the average "special level" of a grandparent. she is such a wonderful woman and is always so fun to be with - especially in times of celebration like the one we are in now. woo hoo wedding week!

after we had ordered tonight, mimi asked me if i had anything blue for the wedding and i told her that i did indeed have something. i also told her that i was putting my buppa's id bracelet around my bouquet for the night. she hastily opened her purse and handed me a pink envelope. i immediately started to tear up without even knowing what was in the envelope. as i opened it i saw an old handkerchief. after unfolding it i saw a gold pin with a blue stone attached to the end. she told me that it had been my buppa's and his father's before him. this means so much to me, since my buppa and i were so close. though he died when i was only five we were best buds. i spent most days a week perched on his lap at the counter while he read his book or watched the news. he would play with me and push me around on his wheeled chair pretended it was a "horsey". after making it through the rest of dinner mimi brought us all out to the car and gave dad buppa's flag in its frame from 17 years ago when it was presented to her at his funeral. again we all started to cry.

i have been without most of my grandparents for many years now, but for some reason today it hit me very hard that they will not be there to celebrate with me at the wedding on Friday. They all have meant so much to be in my past and i want them to be remembered even now so here are some of my favorite memories in photo form. i take joy in the memories that i had time to share with them, i hope you find joy as well. enjoy!

this is my buppa and me, perched as usual :)

mimi and buppa and i, when i was about 1. i loved mimi's red glasses!

grandma and grandpa fox were the most awesome grandparents. grandma was a typical loud italian woman who always had something fresh coming out of the kitchen and grandpa was the sweetest, most gentle man you have ever met. 

i loved my grandparents as much as a little girl could and i still do. they will be remembered on Friday and i know they would be proud of me and Rob as we take this next step together! 

 

I HAVE THREE DAYS UNTIL IT IS THE WEDDING DAY.