Wow...it has been quite the week. I have a lot to tell you all about, but I haven't quite had the time or energy yet to do it. Nathan had a "Grandma Day" with Brenda two days before she passed away. I'll write more about that later, but one of the things they did was play Monopoly. They loved that game. I, on the other hand, can do without that blasted game. WAY too long to play a round of that game. Give me Uno, Give me Sorry, give me any other game than that. Those two however, loved that game. Brenda went into the hospital that night, after a fun "grandma day", and they were never able to finish the game. In fact, after we came home from the hospital after Brenda passed away...there...on the table...was the unfinished Monopoly game. I have to say, that that was much harder for me to see, than seeing Brenda's body after she passed. It literally ripped my heart out to see that.Anyways, since then, Nathan has been nagging us to play monopoly. Trent started a game with him on Sunday, until family showed up and they were never able to finish. Last night, at Nathan's game, while Nathan was in the dugout with Trent (it was Nathan's turn to sit out that inning, and Trent helps out in the dugout), Nathan became upset and cried, telling Trent something like, "You said you would play a game of monopoly, but we never finished it". yeah...stab us in the heart. This poor kid is grieving his grandma...big time. She has been a HUGE part of his life...his whole life. We even lived with them for 2 1/2 years. She has gone to every game, in every sport, yelling at the top of her lungs for Nathan.
So today, all of us took a "mental" health day and went and bought a monopoly game. While Jonathan napped, Trent, Nathan, and I played monopoly for 2 1/2 hours. Oh...my! It was kindof fun I have to admit, and Nathan is one sneaky fella talking me into things that I thought were good choices, but he was conning me the whole time! It was fun. The game is still on our table until we "officially" finish it.
Tonight as Nathan was going to bed, I walked in his room, and he was on his bed tacking up his crumpled up program from Brenda's memorial service up on his wall, right next to his head where he sleeps. That just about ripped my heart out. I found a new non-crumpled one and he hung that up. (just like the picture up on top) I have to say, that I have held it together pretty well, but after everyone was in bed tonight, I could not hold back the gut wrenching tears. My heart aches for my kids losing a grandma. A grandma that was such a HUGE part of their everyday lives. We all have great memories, and we will keep those alive. It just stinks...ya know? I can't get that picture out of my head, of Nathan lovingly hanging the program by the side of his bed. He has his sports heroes on the wall, he has many posters of his Book of Mormon heroes on the wall, and now he has his most favorite hero of all. His grandma. And because of that, Brenda...you are my hero too.
