Grandma Hamilton

My Grandma Hamilton passed last Monday. She was 87 years old and my last surviving grandparent. She suffered from Alzheimer's disease and was a shell of her former self in the last few years. But she was an extraordinary woman, even just in the fact that she somehow how had her first four kids in five years.

I always remember being fairly intimidated by my grandparents when I was young, but they soften in their later years. All of my cousins have a lot of great memories of IU football games, vacations, and her ability to smoke and bake. And while a woman's identity shouldn't necessarily be based on the successes of her children, she did do a smokin' job. My aunts and uncles are all pretty incredible.

...and they've raised another batch of fun, smart and productive kids (mostly...).

Are you supposed to like your family this much? I don't know...but we can owe all to our family matriarch, who is now in a better place. 

Cheers, Grandma!