Billie Jean Boyd

A/K/A Gran

About a month ago, I posted that Joey and I had to come back from vacation early because my sweet, wonderful grandmother left us to be with her Lord.

Gran, who is my dad's mom, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's several years ago, and since has steadily gone downhill. We knew as the days and weeks passed, it was only a matter of time before she would no longer hurt and could forever live freely and comfortably.

I have so many wonderful memories of Gran that there's no way I would be able to share all of them with you. First of all, she is the one that contributed the most to my love for cinnamon toast. (Ha, that rhymes!) She would meet my parents and me halfway on the weekends I would go stay with her. Every morning before I woke up, she would have cinnamon toast and a huge glass of milk sitting on a TV tray in the living room waiting on me. She always made extra because I would eat so much I'd make myself sick! We went shopping to the different malls around Shreveport and just ran the roads together for the whole weekend. Our nights consisted of sitting around the living room watching I Love Lucy and Dick Van Dyke reruns, and I would not have had it any other way. In fact, these are still two of my all-time favorite shows. I still find myself saying things she used to, like "All our for Kazootie (spelling?) Land when we would get out of the car, Buckle up Winn Sockey when we got in the car, Good-bye Bossier City, Hello Shreveport when we would cross the Red River, Bread and Butter when we would walk on opposite sides of something, Who left the gate open when there was a ton of traffic, and so on and so on.

Just so you'll know a little bit more about this incredible woman, here is an excerpt from her obituary:

"There was never a time in her life when music was not an important and joyful part of it. She heard her father who served as a Southern Baptist minister and her uncles sing quartets, and with time, she was following her daddy around to provide music on a pump organ that they carried in the trunk of a car. She later served as organist at First Baptist Church, Leesville; Ford Park Baptist Church in Shreveport; and Rose Neath Funeral Home.

Billie Jean accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior at the age of nine, and all of the afflictions are gone and she is now in the presence of her Heavenly Father. She had a small plaque on her bedroom wall that read, “Everything is going to be all right.” She had taken that from a greeting card, framed it, and lived by that hope. She was a very positive person and she calmed many of those around her with that statement and her exemplifying that hope. We will miss her wit, her warmth, and her southern charm knowing that everything is now, and forever will be, all right."

I have been so fortunate to have the relationship with my grandparents that I have had. I am fully aware that many people don't even know their grandparents, and I have been blessed to have all of mine in my life until the age of 16 when Grandpa (Dad's dad) passed away. Then, this year, I lost my PawPaw in January, and now Gran in August. However, I have total peace that all three are now just angels in Heaven watching over us here on Earth. They are healed and happier than we can even fathom. Even though there is still a huge void in my heart and in my life, I know that this is God's will, and I can feel His presence as He heals my family.

I ask for your prayers, especially for Gran's husband, my dad and my uncle, as we accept the fact that she is no longer here. I pray for strength for my family, and a sense of comfort as we get through this difficult time.

Rest in peace, Gran. We love and miss you dearly.