Laura Susan Giordano, my beloved late grandmother. This post is my tribute to her. It has been a year. A year since I’ve spoken to her, a year since I’ve held her hand, smelled her perfume, listened to her stories. A year since I’ve hugged her goodbye.

It is incredibly hard to put into words how deeply I loved my Grammy. Growing up, we stayed often with her for weeks and months at a time.

She passed on Nov 1st, 2019- All Saints Day, which is very fitting. I got the call around 3:00 in the afternoon, by 5:00 we had bought our tickets to fly out to NJ to attend her services and be with my family.

I cried the majority of the trip. While we were traveling so many memories and words swirled in my head. I finally wrote them down on small scraps of paper from my 4 year olds notebook. I intended to rewrite them (more legibly) at some point, but for some reason- I couldn’t. I spoke them at her service and today I am typing them out, sharing them with you, and giving them new life.

So this is to the woman that loved me through it all, To the woman who was the perfect picture of grace and beauty. To the woman who taught me how to find joy in every space. To the woman who walked every day with gratitude, love, and faith. This is for you Grammy.

“I convinced myself for my whole life that Grammy would live forever. I knew of course that couldn’t be reality, but I figured if she could stay 54 for 10 years (or so she told us) why not?

I think I speak for everyone who knew her when I say that Grammy was so much more than a Grandmother to us, more than a mom, an aunt, great grandma, or a ‘mom-mom.’ She was one of my best friends, my safe place, my role model, and I will never stop missing her.

During my last visit a few weeks ago, she told me “I never question God, Ashley, never. I don’t know why some things happen, but I know He does. I never question God.” Those words have circled in my head ever since. Her unwavering faith was one of her many admirable qualities.

I will cling to every memory I have of her- of coloring endless pictures together, to rewatching The Ghost & Mrs. Muir an obscene amount of times, hearing all her stories, the way she smelled, the way her hugs felt, watching her yell at the NY Giants during the game, her phone calls & advice, her laugh, to seeing her hold each of my babies, and light up with the biggest smile.

She will forever be a part of me.

Grammy was selfless. She was what grace looked like, what love feels like, and the true definition of beauty. And I truly believe that the world would be a better place if there were more Laura Giordano’s in it.

I’ll love you forever Grammy.”

How lucky I was to have had you for so long, until we meet again Grams.