Grandma's chair and I both made it safely back to Indianapolis in one piece. I borrowed a co-worker's minivan and brought the rocking chair to Indiana along with some furniture for my oldest niece and her first apartment.
This was a wonderful weekend with family and friends. Seriously, it was fabulous. My Mom's sister from Indiana and her brother and his wife from North Carolina all traveled up to Michigan for the estate sale and auction, and so my parents had 15 of us staying with them. Things were a little tight, but we managed. My brother Steve and his family camped in the side yard in their popup trailer, while the rest of us bunked up in the 4 bedrooms and on the living room floor. My middle brother Chuck and his family of 6 were not able to make the trip from Warsaw, IN or things might have been even more packed in. HA! Things were quite interesting. I love family time. I just wish we could all be together more like that, but maybe it wouldn't be quite as special if it happened every other week.
The estate sale and auction was on Saturday, and all went well. Almost everything sold, including the house and 14 acres of farmland. I think all of us had mixed emotions as we watched Grandma's prized possessions go to the highest bidder. Some items went for a pittance, and other items surprised everyone as true collectors bid higher and higher. It was a fascinating thing to watch. I walked around and took photos of the estate and farmland. The property was full of memories for all of us, but for me, the hardest part of the day was walking through the nearly empty home. Grandma's stuff was all gone, all in carts and boxes out front. Gone were her craft projects, her canning items, and the clutter in the kitchen. No more of her collectibles, her antiques, and the miscellaneous photos every where. It was just an empty house.
But in retrospect, the greatest legacy is still with us. My Grandma is 92 and doing pretty well after surviving several strokes and losing three husbands. She doesn't talk much, but she can still walk a bit and get around at my parents' home. We all got to spend time with her and enjoy her company this weekend, too. So actually, we are truly blessed.
On Sunday and Monday, we all said our goodbyes and headed back to our own homes. My 18-year-old niece Janet rode the 6+ hours back with me, and we talked about the past and then discussed the future as well. She leaves for the Nascar Institute in North Carolina in just a few short weeks, and so as one door swings shut, GOD opens another one and life continues on in another direction. Yes, I'm a bit sentimental right now, but I'm also thankful...thankful for a GODly family to call my own. It's one of the greatest inheritances of all.
No comments:
Post a Comment