Lose some, win some

This past week has been one of the most intense weeks of my entire life. Last Thursday (January 31) my Grandma Bracken in Brockville, ON passed away from cancer. You can read her obituary here. I created my own photo collage which I shared on Facebook to announce the news to friends.

From left to right, the first photo is of me and Grandma at the old cottage in Brockville probably sometime around 1986 or 1987. The next one is in Lloydminster with me, Grandma, and Grandpa Bracken (who passed away from cancer in 1999.) Next one over was in Ottawa for the final National Youth Band of Canada performance, and the last was in 2005 at a family gathering in Edmonton.

The last week or so has offered time for a lot of reflection, and I've uncovered a few more photos I'd like to share:

Mom and Grandma in Brockville, summer 2004.

Grandma and Grandpa Bracken (left) and Grandma and Grandpa Rivington (right),
at Mom and Dad's house in Lloydminster, maybe 1997?

Grandma and her two sisters, Paula (left) and Marj (right), 
Brockville, summer 2004.

Newly-minted Great Grandma, baby Henry, and Mom, May 2011.

Bryn and Jill's graduations, London, June 2005.
From left to right, Grandma, Jill, Dad, Bryn, and Greta.

Dad and Grandma, in London, June 2005.

I flew up to Brockville this past Tuesday to attend Grandma's funeral on Wednesday, and then quickly turned around and flew back to Tampa for the SMERS conference on Thursday. I just returned today from Tampa and am excited to have a few days at home with Bryn.

The funeral and experience in Brockville was really intense. This was my first traditional funeral experience, with a whole day of visitations, a funeral ceremony, trip to the cemetery, and receptions galore. It was completely overwhelming and really sad at times but also quite heart-warming to reconnect with family and see all the people come out who had known and loved Grandma. 

Grandma Bracken instilled in me, among other things, a fervent love for music. I have memories of her attending many of my concerts and festivals as I growing up and always being supportive of my singing and piano-playing. I really wanted to offer tribute to Grandma in song at her funeral and managed to suppress the emotions for 2 minutes to sing "To The Sky." It was one of the hardest performances I've ever given but I'm really glad I was able to get through it. The words:

To the sky from the earth in lofty flight 
From the hills so green in the blush of spring 
So away with thee shall I fly, shall I fly 
From this place to a land so far away 
Softly now with the dawn I will ride with the wind 
O'er the hills through the mist on the wings of thee 
Spirit fly, spirit fly to the cloud up above 
Spirit fly to a place beyond the sky 
Spirit fly, spirit fly to a place on high 
Softly now with the dawn I go with thee

In the midst of this loss, the universe smiled upon the Bracken-Jess clan and delivered a miracle. On Monday, February 4th at 12:08pm PST, my sister gave birth to her second child, a girl, which she and her husband Mark named Luisa Joan Jess. Joan was my Grandma's first name. Losing my Grandma was made even more overwhelming by the appearance of this new little person who will now carry her name. The baby arrived via emergency c-section and Greta went home a few days after Luisa's arrival.

Luisa Joan Jess. 7 lbs, 5 ounces and 20 inches long.

I am excited to be heading to Victoria on Monday for a visit with my new niece. My parents are already there; they flew straight from Brockville after the funeral and will be there through my visit. This past week has been packed with traveling and though I am excited to be together as a family, I am also pretty darn tired. I am sure seeing and holding my new niece will give me the energy I need to run around with my almost-two year old nephew Henry... can't forget about that little monkey in the midst of the new baby! It should be one heck of a trip.

Other than that? A few other exciting bits of news...

Hurrah! ABD! Finally... it's official!

And ethics approval!?!? Huzzah hurrah! 

I've been set free to do my research.