Grandma Karen

I love my Grandma Fautin. She is my mom's mom. She has been a major part of my entire life. She and my grandpa would come over every Christmas and share it with us. We couldn't open our gifts until Grandpa and Grandma arrived. They always came over for our special birthday dinners -- where she would pull us aside and give us a ten dollar bill. She and my grandpa were my BIGGEST supporters in the extra curricular activities I was involved in. They didn't miss a choir performance. When I was young we would spend every Sunday night at their house for dinner. We would play basketball in their backyard. We always played horse; the order was youngest to oldest. When someone got out first -- they had to go and start doing the dishes, (when Rayma was "initiated" into the Fautin family -- she got out first and had to go do dishes!). I was one of two grandkids that she nicknamed and it actually stuck. She called me "shag" ... (I don't know that she realized what this meant!)

My grandma has always had major health issues. She got her first pair of hearing aides when she was in her mid-30's. Her vision was awful. She saw similar to a horse with blinders on.
She had poor balance and fell frequently. Her last fall was awful causing her entire face to bruise. She had major stomach problems and could eat only "liquids" for awhile. Through all of these problems she always was very light-hearted and ... spunky. Don't give her a hard time or she will give one right back. A couple of weeks ago I was at her house and her physical therapist came over. Through all of her exercise routines she was spouting jokes like nothing was wrong. She was in the hospital a couple of days ago and when the nurse walked in she said ... "so you are the spunky one I've been hearing about".

Last night at 6:00 she was able to rejoin my grandpa and mom who started their next journey in the spirit world a couple of years ago. She finally can walk well -- she can hear -- talk -- and see without any problems. I am so happy for her. We will miss my grandma OH SO MUCH!

We were talking about where she is and what is happening to her now and my 8 year old cousin said that she can't be in heaven now. We asked why and she pointed to her body and said that she couldn't be in heaven because she is right there. The bishop of their ward took the opportunity to explain a bit of what happens when we die. All I kept thinking was that we are so lucky to know what we do about death. It makes the transition so much easier.

Love you Grandma ... see you soon!
Jen, Joe, and Baby :)