It
has been a little over a year since my wonderful Grandma Bullock passed away.
So I thought I’d share the beautiful story of Autumns lady bug sweater:
When
I was a teenager, grandma went to the farmers market and spotted this adorable
sweater! She showed it to me and we both fell in love with its charm and
attention to detail.
From the lady bug trim, to the furry collar. I lived with
my grandma for 4 years in between going to university and we would often pull
it out and admire its adorableness.
As
soon as I got married, Grandma Bullock pulled out the lady bug sweater and told
me that when I had a girl, she would give it to our sweet daughter. Grandma
Bullock always loved that knitted sweater and would pull it out frequently
while I lived with her to talk about when I would have this sweater to give my
girl. In the back of my mind I was always sort of crushed thinking that I would
never be able to bring Grandma the joy of seeing that sweater on a mini
Brittany.
But Grandma always talked to me as if she knew Autumn was coming, and
that there was never a doubt in her mind.
The day I found out I was pregnant, I drove
over to Grandmas house to share the news with her (yes, even before I told
Jason). She always had the faith I never did when it came to children and
to share that moment with her first meant everything to me. As soon as I
told her, she ran upstairs and got that sweater out of her closet and told me
this was my little girls as soon as she was born. I laughed, telling Grandma
that I was only 9 weeks along and had no idea if it was a boy or a girl. She
just looked at me and smiled.
Just shortly after I told grandma I
was pregnant she became really sick. When I had Autumn she was in the very
same hospital with me, but on a different floor. She was really sick and had
the hospital virus so newborn baby Autumn couldn't come see her. Soon after
that, Grandmas eyes got really bad, almost to the point of blind. When I was
finally able to put sweet Autumn in her arms she could barely see her.
Grandma was so weak but always asked if I had tried the sweater on Autumn yet.
The sweater is made for a 1 year old, so I explained to her that it would be a
year till she would fit it.
A year ago last month, Grandma passed away. As I see
Autumn wear that precious sweater, I keep thinking Grandma is looking down at
her smiling. She can finally see Autumn in the sweater, enjoying the sweater
that grandma got just for her. We did a service project last month and it was
to Agapé Hospice. It provides a peaceful,
compassionate and caring environment where those afflicted with a terminal
illness can fully live out their remaining days with respect and dignity. The
average time spent at the hospice for the patients is 13 days before they pass
away.
We went to the Hospice to do gardening. We planted, pruned and
weeded the gardens and made the garden come to life.
With knowing that the
Hospice was the place to be reverenced, a place where the ill come to reflect
on their lives and find peace; we carefully tilled the ground and as we planted
every flower, we understood we were creating life where life was taken.
As Autumn and I gardened, I couldn't help but reflect myself. I
saw Autumn digging up the earth wearing that little Lady bug sweater and all
I could think of was grandma Bullock. Grandma loved nature, birds, flowers, and
reverenced the beauty of the earth. As I see Autumn grow up loving the trees,
birds, flower (lets not forget about the beautiful dandelions)I am so happy she
inherited that part of grandma. If grandma was still here today, her and Autumn
would be nature lover besties!
This
sweater might look like just your average sweater, but it is worth more than
gold to me, and one of my most precious items.
This sweater is faith, memories, hopes
and dreams!
