(pictures taken September 2009)
At just about the same time I became pregnant, our family heard the sad news that Rich’s beloved Grandma was diagnosed with bone cancer. She is in her early 90’s (I’m sure she would not mind me saying so!) and is a gentle and loving lady, who loves her family and God so very much.
As a young bride, I was welcomed by Grandma, she made me feel like part of the family from the very beginning. She used to come over and get me, and later baby Jacob, and we would go places together. She calls, she writes, she LOVES SINCERELY. Safe and warm. At family gatherings, it’s fun to see her sit and attract us to her for a chat, with her eyes watching the rest of her loved ones as we visit, with so much joy. Her very presence makes us better, makes us behave just that much nicer. I laugh as I write that, but it’s true!
Rich went through tough times as a teenager, and Grandma was always there as a guiding influence. She is proud of Rich, I saw her face the last time he hugged her long and meaningfully, the last time we saw her, he didn’t see her face when he pulled away, but I did, she was looking up at her grandson-turned-man, trying not to cry, so many messages in her eyes….”I love you so much”….”I’m proud of you and who you are”….
She would feel uncomfortable if I made her out to look perfect, but in our eyes she’s pretty close!
Her name is Sarah Lillian. Grace has her middle name, and our next daughter will have her first name, in honor of a lady we rise and call blessed.
Grandma is doing well at the moment, she seems comfortable, but I ask for prayer as she finishes her life here on earth. Her husband has been gone for over 50 years. The first thing she said when she heard the news of her cancer was, “Now I can go home and see Clarence again.” Beautiful. She’s longing for home.
Oh God, if it is your will, please let her stay long enough for me to put our baby Sarah into her arms.
Good to be Home 
I pray He WILL allow Grandma Sarah to hold her precious namesake! How wonderful!Shanda, you just described Terry’s (paternal) grandmother “TO A T,” including the details of her continuing influence, how she calls and writes, and her continuing love for her late husband. Exactly like our Granny. Granny Bullen also has made me feel as though I have always been a part of the family. She calls me “Darlin'” in her southern accent, and I recently got a birthday card from her that was a beautiful card, specially selected and labeled for a “granddaughter.” Anyway, I feel that I can relate to you about what a gift it is to have an adopted grandmother like that in your life. I love that your daughters are named after her!
What a beautiful post. It brought tears to my eyes reading it. I will pray she gets a chance to meet Baby Sarah.Congrats on having a girl! I am so happy for you.
What a beautiful post to honor a beautiful woman of God. This is a great story, and I know that some day your daughter will be honored to carry her great-grandma’s name.
so excited to hear that you are going to have another little lady! what a blessing. Thank you for sharing about this amazing woman with us…she sounds like a wonderful woman who both loves deeply and is a soul sister of your heart. What a blessing to have someone love so deeply both you and the people you care about so deeply. It is my sincere prayer that she will be blessed with being able to hold her dear namesake in her hands if it is God’s will. Praising God with you for this new life growing within you. be blessed today Shanda.
Oh, that would be so nice if Grandma Sarah could see baby Sarah. Isn’t it fun saying a girl’s name again when talking about a baby?
Yes Lord, may she hold baby Sarah. Such a sweet post!
Beautiful Shanda! I do hope you are able to have your Grandma meet Sarah! SO touching about how much she loves her husband even after being seperated for 50 years! Wow that says so much!
I carry my great-grandmother’s middle name, and also passed it down to my older daughter, and I hope very much I am able to pass Gram’s legacy down along with the name. Those generational ties are so important, and what a joy and blessing for your children to know their great-grandmother and be able to learn so much from her.I’d better stop now before I make myself cry thinking about how very much I want my children to know their great-grandparents!
awe…I will pray with you that grandma will get to hold the baby you carry in your womb…I love how you ‘rise and call her blessed’ and honor her with naming your daughters after her. beautiful post
This post made me cry. . .what a beautiful tribute to a beautiful lady. If we had had a daughter we were going to name her after my husband’s grandmother. She is now with the Lord, but I too remember that desire to place a baby great-granddaughter in her arms with her name. Congratulations on having a baby girl! What precious news. . . I know you must all be thrilled, but esp. Grace who will have that sweet little sister. . .finally!
What an inspiration to love with all our heart and soul. I will be praying she is able to meet baby Sarah. What peace she must feel to know she will be with her beloved again.
What a legacy!! We are so blessed to have these amazing godly women in our lives!! Thanks for sharing this story. Love that you are naming your daughter after her.
I had to catch up on your last few posts. First thing, Congratulations on having a little girl!! That is so exciting. You’re glowing in your pregnancy picture. I will keep Grandma in my thoughts and prayers. She seems like such a sweet, loving lady.
what a wonderful lady! Hope & Pray she does get to see your little baby girl before she goes Home!
What a beautiful tribute! And how blessed you have been to have Sarah Lillian in your life. These are the ones who make us better, who inspire and ignite us, who LIVE IT before us, to show us how. I am praying for freedom from pain as she makes her way home.
What a beautiful story. I’m so glad you are having a girl and you get to name her after such a special lady in your lives.
I have tears in my eyes, but in a good way! What a sweet tribute to Grandma Sarah. I pray that she lives on this side of Heaven long enough to hold Sarah Joy in her arms.
What a beautiful tribute to a beautiful woman.
How special it is to have your new one named after Rich’s Grandma. I pray that Grandma will be able to hold this dear new life. We named our newest one after my Grandpa and he cried when he heard the news. What a special memory and legacy for little Sarah.A little girl…I was at the store the other day and found so many adorable girl clothes. I had fun wandering around and trying to think of who I knew that was having a girl. Now I know! I think the funnest thing is the accessories for little girls, so many bracelets and hair bows and ribbons.
this post made me all teary eyes. what a wonderful example grandma’s been and I truly hope she will get to see baby sarah!!
What a beautiful post! I will pray that same prayer – in agreement with you! Blessings to you and your family!
What a precious post Shan! Lillian is one of the most loving people I know. I never knew her name was Sarah!! I’m so glad you’re having a girl! Love you, Lish
tears in my eyes…
This is absolutely beautiful and made me cry! Congratulations on your baby girl! My middle name is also Joy and I’ve loved it so much all my life… My parents gave me the middle name so that I would remember to put J = Jesus first, O = Others second, Y = Yourself last… Congratulations again!!
I’m joining you in that very special prayer!
What a special post. I will pray for her.
What a sweet desire ~ may God’s will be done for both your beloved Sarah’s ~
CONGRATULATIONS about the news that it’s going to be a girl!!! 😀 I’m so happy for u guys!! I really hope that your grandma will live to see Sarah Joy. 🙂 I’ll be praying for y’all.
Oh my Shanda, my eyes are all full of tears. What a beautiful, sweet woman, and wonderful person to name your new little girl for. I love your description of her, and just the sort of woman for all of us to look up to. She has a very sweet face. I will be praying for her remaining days, for grace in the Lord, and if He wills that she would see your new little one.
What a beautiful tribute…has me in tears…so sweet
Big fat tears rolled down my cheeks as I read this. It is special, your thoughts are special. I just love everything about this post!!
this brought tears to my eyes. I too was named after my grandmother Sarah and always treasure that special bond we share. Your grandmother sounds like a beautiful woman and I will be keeping her in my prayers.
what a beautiful and loving portrait of rich’s grandma. it brought tears to my eyes, thinking of my own grandma and how much i miss her………
Tears… totally precious!!
Tears in my eyes! What a sweet, loving tribute to Miss Sarah. God bless her AND her little namesake – and you, sweet long-distance friend.Celia
I will join with you in praying that she lives to see baby Sarah. AND, I will pray that God makes her body comfortable during this last part of her life.You know, we should ALL take a lesson from these wonderful Grandmas and begin to leave our own legacies with our children. Can you imagine having someone say such wonderful things about you? The time to start is NOW!
What a blessing to have a woman like this in the generations! She will leave an empty spot when she goes Home. I do pray that she will be able to see her namesake, and I pray that her home-going will be filled with sweet victory. God bless her real good!
Dern it, Shanda! Your posts always make me cry! What a blessing it would be for Grandma Sarah to hold your baby girl when she arrives! Praying God’s blessing on all of you.
WOW . . . had tears in my eyes. Thank you for sharing, and I’ll be praying for Lillian.
What a beautiful tribute to a beautiful lady. How blessed your children are to have a great grandmother still living. I pray too she will live long enough to see her precious namesake.
Such a beautiful post, beautiful name and beautiful lady. I am SO happy for you Shanda, Grace must be jumping with joy.
I’m catching up on posts after a few days away.Congratulations on the upcoming arrival of your second daughter! How neat you’re naming her after a Godly Grandmother!
Very sweet, I pray she will be able to hold little Sarah.
Stopped by to say hi! Congratulations! Looks like you have a wonderful family.
WOW! She is in her 90’s???? She looks good!!Awww, a girl!!! Yay!My daughters name is Lillian, after her daddy’s grandma. Middle name, Ruth–after my mom-mom.
What a beautiful woman she is. When you posted a while ago about you being pregnant my first thought was it has to be a girl. Just because it seems that is way it seems God works. Unexpected blessing. I just think it is ironic and so very cool that you have desired a girl and then the birth that is super close to your other child happens to be a GIRL. I am thinking that will probably happen to us with a boy…oh my I would be a bit shocked though if they were so close, but it could happen. Regardless these little ones are always blessings! Love to always hear how you share your life.