Ryan and I are planning to make the six hour drive to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania for her funeral on Friday. I know being around those who loved Mimi most will be both emotional and cathartic.
Sunday
Sunday was obviously a very hard day, as I got the news about my grandmother’s passing right around 7:30 a.m. I spent most of the morning crying, talking with Ryan and my in-laws and just processing my grandmother’s death.
Once I felt strong and my tears subsided, I would be okay for awhile. We went to brunch but it was almost a little too hard to sit through such a normal meal when my heart was bursting and the lump in my throat could not be ignored. When we made it home, I couldn’t fight the wave of sadness and loss that came over me and started sobbing again as I talked to my family. Speaking with family helped a lot since we were all processing the same emotions.
I’m so grateful I was surrounded by such wonderful people here in Charlotte on Sunday. Ryan and his family have been nothing but loving and kind. My in-laws and Ryan took care of dinner Sunday night and made a delicious spread of comfort food. They were all so thoughtful and very open to talk about Mimi whenever I needed to let everything out.
Saturday
Prior to Sunday, Ryan and I filled our weekend with quality time with my in-laws and boating on the lake. On Friday, we took the boat up to a local restaurant and ate outside along the water as Sadie lapped up water from a bowl that our waiter was kind enough to bring to our table.
Saturday began with brunch in Davidson. The last time my mother-in-law visited us, she fell in love with the small town and we knew we had to return. We ate at Toast before wandering along Main Street and browsing around the local shops.
We wrapped up our morning with a visit to the Davidson Farmer’s Market where we picked up a few goodies before heading home.
The rest of our day was spent on Lake Norman!
(I love Sadie’s sheepish little grin in that picture!)
It was gorgeous outside. There was a slight breeze and we floated around for hours until gray clouds started to roll in and told us it was time to go.
During our time on the boat, Sadie’s complete and utter disregard for my growing baby bump continued…
It’s hard not to laugh every time she tries to put her butt on my belly or sit in my lap. She completely lacks any sort of “baby intuition.”
While we were playing around in the water, Ryan and I thought it would be fun to snap a floating belly picture, but as it turns out my belly isn’t nearly as buoyant as we would have thought!
I think this was the picture Ryan’s mom snapped when Ryan got the bright idea to swim underneath me and lift up my belly…
Success???
Kind of?
Once the rain clouds told us it was time to go, we made our way back to the house and dug into a late lunch of chopped salads. I followed the recipe my aunt used to make the chopped salads she served during my baby shower and they were a hit!
I was able to do a lot of the prep work ahead of time which made everything come together in a flash. (Let me know if you guys are interested in the recipe and I’ll be sure to share it!)
After showers and lunch, we made our way back to Davidson for a movie. We decided to see Inside Out and despite my high hopes for the movie, I didn’t really enjoy it all that much. I thought it was going to be hilarious and while there were definitely some laugh-out-loud moments, I found myself a little bored with the movie about 30 minutes in. At least a movie is always a great rainy afternoon activity, right?
By the time the movie was over, the rain was completely gone and before we drove home, we decided to stop into Alino Pizzeria, a local hot spot that’s gaining a lot of traction thanks to word-of-mouth. Ryan heard about it from a coworker who told him the pizzeria imports their flour and other ingredients from Italy.
Inside the pizzeria it’s very bright and everyone grabs a seat at long, communal picnic tables. It’s family-style dining and we loved the large salad and sausage, mozzarella and basil pizza we ordered to share.
The four of us also split three large cannoli and they were fantastic!
We didn’t make it home until right around 9 p.m. and spent the rest of the evening relaxing on the couch before heading up to bed.
And that was our weekend in a nutshell. I hope all the fathers out there had a great Father’s Day on Sunday! And thank you all again for your sweet words and condolences yesterday. They mean a lot to me and my family.
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So sorry you had a rough time this weekend. I”m glad you had great family with you to help and to be with you.
The floating belly pictures are hilarious!
haha floating belly picks!! Too cute. And mmm cannolis! I’m glad you were able to be surrounded by loved ones while you processed such a hard loss. <3
I’m so glad to hear that Ryan’s family was still in town on Sunday. It always helps to have loving, understanding family members by your side. Saturday looked like a blast – I love your yellow top! So bright and sunny for the summer! Have a wonderful week and safe travels this Friday. xoxo
I’m glad to hear that you were surrounded by not only Ryan on Sunday but his loving family. Someday I hope to meet a guy as wonderful as Ryan who comes with an equally as wonderful family. I would love if you posted the salad recipe from Saturday! It looks delicious and perfect for summer.
I remember the same thing happened to my mom when she was pregnant with my sister! She thought she woudl naturally float, but it was anything but! The salad looks great – please share the recipe. I’m so glad you had Ryan’s family for support. Losing a loved one is very hard.
Love the floating bump pictures!
I’m glad that even though your heart was hurting that you were still able to enjoy some special time with your family this weekend!
Sounds like you had a blast on the boat, I wish we had one! My dog passed away a few weeks ago and I would go through the waves of sadness you mentioned, being okay then crying out of nowhere. It lasted about a week for me. It’s so hard to lose someone you love.
Oh Julie I am so so so sad to hear that!!!! I had tears in my eyes. I lost my grandmother a few months ago and the first few weeks were rough! It still is! I am glad you are surrounded by family!!! I’m keeping you all in my thoughts and I am sure our grandmothers are having a nice chat up in heaven together! 🙂
So sorry to hear about your grandmother. I just lost my grandpa in February and still cry when I see his picture or even think about it. I was so close to him and he was so loved and adored by so many in his hometown. I have been holding on to my amazing memories and re-living those! Your Mimi sounds amazing from reading your blog so I am sure it’s been so tough.
Please share the salad recipe! It’s hot and humid here and I hate turning on the oven! Easy cold things sound amazing for supper!
Lol those pictures of you and Ryan with your belly bump in the water crack me up!
Glad to hear you had a good support system there with you when you heard about Mimi. Those baby belly pics are adorable!
Recipe for the salad please! 🙂
Where can I find those adorable pants you’re wearing in the photo with the yellow shirt in the furniture shop? They are just too cute!
The brand is Chaser and I got them on sale via RueLaLa — They’re super comfy!
Just looking at you in the water makes me jealous! The water here is still too cold to go in and enjoy. Glad you had a some time on the lake.
I had a question, how tall is Ryan? Is the he one that takes photos of you? It always looks like a gaint is taking your photo from way above!
He is 6’2” and yes, he’s almost always the one taking my pics at eye level. 🙂
I always wondered this too because I thought Julie was also tall… haha!
It seems like you were able to enjoy your weekend and smile despite the loss. It’s inspiring to see!
Recipe, please! 🙂
I’m glad you had a good day on Saturday! It looks like you guys had a blast on the boat. And it was probably a true blessing that you had family around while you were (are) grieving. I’ll continue to pray for you and your family.
I’m glad you were able to enjoy some time out on the lake with your in-laws this weekend. And Davidson sounds like an absolutely adorable town. Makes me want to visit some day!
Losing a grandparent is so hard, glad you had some family around you during a difficult time. It’s been in the high 90s up here this week and lounging on a lake sounds so good right about now!
Glad you had such a nice day on Saturday. I’m so sorry for your loss. I’m keeping you and your family in my prayers.
I would love that salad recipe please!!! It looks so good! Thanks so much!
I’m so sorry for the loss of your grandmother. What a sweet tribute you wrote.
So sorry to hear of your loss. It sure seems like she was a special lady that was loved very much. You’re letter to her was very touching and I am sure she is smiling down on you.
Love your floating bump pics, you are too cute 😉
The belly-floating pics are totally something my husband and I would try. Good times! 🙂
That salad looks amazing! Please post the recipe!
Please share the salad recipe! Looks wonderful! So sorry about your grandma.
I am sooooooo sorry about Mimi. Losing my grandma was one of the hardest times of my life. I know how special that connection is and I promise it does get better in time. She will always be with you in spirit!!
Looks like you guys had a fun weekend. I love the pictures of you an Ryan swimming, so funny!
I’m cracking up at the pictures of your sinking belly 🙂 Too funny! And poor Sadie…how soon she will learn that she is no longer the center of attention, haha!
So sorry about your grandma, I hope you and your family are doing okay.
I need the recipe for that chopped salad!!!!
Julie I am so sorry about Mimi. I am also going through a similar time as my grandma has been on hospice for the past 10 days. Your letter to Mimi was so sweet and made me realize how lucky I am to have gotten 23 years with my gram. I’m so sorry for your pain but just know you truly made me feel a little better with your kind words. Sometimes it’s nice to know others are going through it too <3
How wonderful that Ryan’s family was in town when you got the news about your Mimi—helped to have them there.
Another cold salad idea: Tuna Salad Nicoise, a composed salad of canned water packed white tuna, steamed green beans, sliced boiled eggs, quartered tomatoes, avocado slices, and french potato salad (fingerling or red potatoes boiled, sliced, and tossed with dizon mustard viniagrette–in fact, make a little on the entire salad…yum!
I would love the chopped salad recipe!
Just another view on Inside Out: My husband and I loved it. We both laughed and cried throughout. I thought it was so good!
Glad to hear you had a nice Saturday, and that you are doing okay with everything. Loving all the Sadie-ignoring-the-baby photos. When I was born, my parents said our first dog (also a Yellow Lab) completely ignored me, just turned up her snout and went on pretending I didn’t exist – except that every night she would settle right in front of my door to sleep like a Labrador guardian. She didn’t want me to usurp her, but she didn’t want anyone messing with me either! Definitely a case of the older puppy siblings.
Now, on the other hand, our second Lab came into the family when my brother and I were 14 and 11…and she expects us to protect her since she is the spoiled baby!
LOL. Next thing you know… Sadie tries to use your bump as a raft. 😉 You are too cute.
What a fun weekend- I’ve NEVER had a cannoli! Ever… I know, I know… I want to try one though!
That sounds like a lovely weekend filled with family, love, and lots of great memories.
I think you may just be the cutest pregnant lady ever! 🙂
I know you’re hurting and this will eventually lessen with time, but for now we are all here for you.
I’m so sorry to hear about your grandmother, Julie. When my grandma passed away last year, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever been through. I was really close with her, and with the death of a loved one comes so many emotions. Hang in there! I’m sure she loved you very much, and I’m glad that she passed away peacefully.
Okay so now that I’ve stopped being upset for a bit I can finally comment. We both lost someone close to us (I lost my Aunt, yesterday), and after reading yesterdays post yesterday morning. My eyes were filled with tears half way down the blog post that I coudn’t see. You definitely have a wonderful way with words Julie. I’m so sorry you lost Mimi.
I’m so sorry it was a hard weekend for you 🙁 You bump is so cute. I bet you are so excited to meet your little guy. You’re getting so close!
You and Ryan are too cute! Love the photos of you guys in the water. 🙂 And that chopped salad looks SO good! Yum!
So sorry to hear about your Mimi. I call my Grandma Mimi as well. Will definitely need to make her sugar cookies soon!
I’m sorry to hear of your grandmother’s passing <3 <3 Hugs to you & your family!
p.s. love the floating bump pics–too cute!!
My 70 lb pitbull was the same way when I was pregnant. No awareness at all that there was a giant belly in his way. He’s super heavy though so I had to kick him off constantly!
The cannolis look so good!
Oh Julie, I have such tremendous compassion for you and for anyone suffering the loss of someone so dear. God bless you and your family, and again I’m so sorry for your loss. My own mother passed away suddenly, in her sleep, like your Mimi did, (and on a Sunday), several years ago, and there is something about a sudden passing that causes its own kind of grief. Because all of your shock and mourning come afterwards, in a rush, rather than before, in bits and pieces. I too went out to eat that same day (for the sake of having no groceries) and I couldn’t stop crying in fits and starts in the restaurant. Lump-in-the-throat city.
It’s okay if you bubble this out here and anywhere whenever you feel the urge (even in public places, like a restaurant). Grief is non-linear. You get a lot better, and then you go back to feeling terrible. My sweet and brilliant husband said to me, “maybe it’s because it comes to you in pieces, and when you can handle the next piece, that’s when it arrives.” So you hurt a lot, and heal, hurt more, and heal, and so on across time. It’s okay to feel sad months, and even years, from now. Let it out when it needs to come out. If it comes out in a post 3 months from now, let it come out in a post 3 months from now. And so on.
God bless your kind-hearted in-laws!
I for one am interested in the chopped salad recipe! And I think the bump-in-the-water pic was (is) a success! Too bad about Inside Out, I was really looking forward to it! I will still see it, but my expectations are a bit lower.
I love the way your husband described grief to you — I think that is so, so true. <3 I'm so sorry for the sudden loss of your mother. It sounds like she was a wonderful woman. <3
<3 She was. Yes, my husband always has great things to say when you really need to hear it. He's a keeper. 🙂 Oh! And something I did not know until way later – apparently there is a real thing about being clumsy while mourning. I didn't know this was a documented "thing" until I was telling someone about how many times I'd bumped my head really hard in the (6 months after my mom passed). So be kind and careful with yourself.
I love hearing about all the new and fun food places you guys go to! That pizza and cannolis look awesome; how cool that they import their ingredients from Italy! North Carolina has been on my list of places to visit for quite some time now, so hopefully one day I’ll be able to visit!
So sorry for your loss! I have been reading your blog for three years now, and every time you posted about your grandmother your words were always so kind and loving. Your love for her radiated right through the computer screen!! Just think now you have all of these amazing memories to tell your little one of such a great person! Hope you’re celebrating her life and remembering all of the good times had together! On a side note, I absolutely love your bathing suit in these pictures, where is it from?
Thank you! The top is from BCBG and the bottoms are Victoria’s Secret. 🙂