G.G.

A few weeks ago, G.G. joyfully went to heaven.

There aren't many words to describe G.G., which is one reason it has taken me so long to get this post up.

G.G. lived every moment of every day by the truth she held close to her heart. She poured over scripture and, as her grandson pointed out at her funeral, could recite most of the Bible. The day she died, when she was sitting in the hospital, they told her Grandaddy was headed back to the hospital from their house. She promptly asked, "Where is my lipstick?" G.G. dwelled on truth; She didn't worry about what she didn't know to be true. She didn't know when she was going to die, but she knew her husband was coming in the room soon and she knew she loved looking pretty for her husband.

Every time I've gone through something difficult in my life, and a hundred times in between, I've received a letter from G.G. Her letters were full of encouragement, insight, wisdom... and they always included a Bible verse. She sent them to everyone she loved. As I've thought about where I want our desk in our house, my main goal has been to make all of my stationary and stamps readily available so I can correspond like G.G. There is nothing in the world that makes me feel more thought about than a hand-written letter. G.G. loved people and the Lord in the best sort of way. When she was with you, she "loved your neck" and when she wasn't with you, she was thinking about you and praying for you and writing you a letter to let you know. And there was nothing you could do to make her love you any less.

I cannot speak of G.G. without talking about her love of people and the Lord and His Word, and I cannot speak of G.G. without talking about her killer style. If I could have half of G.G.'s taste in clothes, then I would always be the most stylish girl in the room. She was always the most stylish girl in the room- at 23, at 83.

She was a woman of truth.

She was a woman of love.

She was a woman of grace.

She was a women of style.

She was a woman of friends.

She was a woman of family....

G.G. stands for Grandmother Gravlee... And G.G. was Tupelo's grandmother, but she also had 5 of her own, and how she poured herself into them! Every Tuesday night, all the grandchildren spent the night at the Gravlee's. You can't help but look at the Gravlee's and hope to have a family like they have one day. And now I look at the Kellum's and think the same thing, because the Gravlee's legacy of love is so present in their children's families.

I have the privilege and blessing of being close to two of her granddaughters and seeing all the G.G. that she left behind in them. Tyler has G.G.'s personality, Darby her spirit. Darby has her style, Tyler that look G.G. gave when she was content.

They both have her heart.

So we have so much of her and her legacy still here, but who will call Tyler "Tylah?"

May we all live and love a little more like G.G. today.

Weesie.

On May 29th, Louise Saunders became Louise Price.

Because Louise and Bradford are loved by so many people, I never had a chance to do a toast at the rehearsal dinner, so I have decided to write mine here...

I haven't known Louise as long as many people who were in or at her wedding. We met on staff 3 summers ago at Camp Desoto, and have only lived in the same place for 2 summers. But my life- my day to day life- is full of Weesie. As many who know her can tell you, Louise is a woman of tips- she loves to share pieces of wisdom that she has and she loves to hear yours. My days are full of her tips- so when I use Purpose facewash every morning and when I use my MyAgenda all day everyday- with little pieces of truth written on each week- I think of Louise. And when I open my Bible, I usually think of Louise. The thing about a conversation with Louise is that it feels light and fresh and fun and usually full of laughter- sometimes some tears- but many times just smiles. Then later, you'll think back on something she said, and you'll be deeply changed. This is because Louise knows truth and she hides it in her heart. It flows out of her and she loves people so well just by being Weesie. Louise just gets it. I love you Weesie! Here's to Louise and Bradford! Cheers!

As for the Big Day... Louise hates having her picture taken- she just wants to be in that moment without posing, so I didn't take my camera out at all. But here is a description...

It was the sweetest wedding I have ever been to. Ever. It was a perfect wedding at the lake. The groomsmen walked us to the tent because there was a little bit of rain. Louise and Bradford were so intentional about making the weekend not about them, but about the Lord, and as soon as we walked into the tent, I could feel God's presence. It was so reverent and sweet. The music- 2 guitars with a keyboard and singing- and the pitter patter of the rain were perfect. If it was a movie, it would have been exactly that way- rain and all. We walked down to a guitar rendition of Canon in D, and Louise walked down to the girl singing Be Thou My Vision.

It was precious. She was beautiful. I never stopped crying.

Rachel

All-Star.

Sorry once again for the long delay, but I have been living a life in which computer space and time is limited... and I'm loving that life. But I have really missed updating.

While I was in Tupelo, I went to see my nephew Will play baseball. He just made the All-Star Team, and in a family where baseball is religion, a 9 year old making the All-Star team is huge. Notice Will's number is 9. That's because he's 9 years old. Last year his number was 8. I love this child.

There has never been a sweeter spirit or more coachable player than Will Davis. Look at that face.

Big Sister Mattie.

Daddy and Scorekeeper Patton.

Bets is that mom. The one who yells a lot and paces when the game is tense- the little league game.

And I am that aunt. I was taking pictures of Will in the dugout and he was so embarrassed and I couldn't believe I was embarrassing him! It made me want to say through the dugout screen "Will it's me your favorite aunt!! Don't be embarrassed in front of your friends!!" But then he might hate me forever so I refrained.

More to come soon.

Rachel