Words keep coming up inadequate as I prepare to write this post, so I will take from what Pastor Catt said at the Celebration Ceremony….Debbie Dorminy isn’t lost or far away, but we are getting closer to her as each day passes. She was a strong woman who loved the Lord and loved her family and loved her friends. She always made me feel like one of her own children; she loved our kids more than I could have ever imagined a grandmother would love her grandkids. I think that is the part that makes me cry the most–my children love Gran. She had so much to teach them, and she loved them in a very unique way. I am sad that that piece of the puzzle is missing, though I know she is happy and whole in Heaven right now. I am just sad for us and what we will miss from having her in our lives.
Molly would skype her regularly on the computer. Last year, I would be upstairs teaching Ruby Kindergarten, so Molly would come down and call Gran. I would hear singing, math and many stories about when Gran was a little girl. I am so thankful that they had all of those talks face-to-face on this computer. We would all try and take turns talking to Gran, but for the most part, Molly wanted all the attention from Gran and would ask us to get out of the room.
Gran made both of the girls dedication gowns. So precious. She also recently made them “Little House on the Prairie” bonnets and aprons. And she made all of our curtains in our first house. She was one talented lady. She made her wedding dress and all of her bridesmaid dresses, too, if I remember correctly.
Ruby was always in pictures in her library when she was a Media Specialist. Such a proud grandmother.
I remember distinctly one day in our daughter/mother-in-law relationship. Ruby was about four days old. I was engorged…lovely word, I know…and couldn’t get the silly breast pump to work. She saw it “all” that day, and we reached a new level of familiarity. She also drove me, Ruby and my raging hormones to the lactation consultant. She parked the car and then turned around and looked at me and said, “We do not have to go in here. You can just forget about all of this breast feeding stuff if you want to.” She knew I was on the verge of a breakdown. She was so supportive of whatever decision I made.
I remember the look of surprise on her face when we announced at Molly’s first birthday that we were expecting yet again. But I am so glad we had our children so close together. I can’t help but think that the Lord had it this way, in part, so that Gran could see and know all three of them and make some great memories together.
I could go on and on with the memories. She will be missed terribly. We all have a lot of adjusting to do, that is for sure. I know the Lord will help us, as He has all along the way.
If you have a story or a memory of Debbie that you want to share in the comments, please leave it there. You can also send it to jkdorminy@comcast.net. I would love to have as many stories as I can to share with my kids about their grandmother. Josh says those were the times he was most emotional—when person after person stopped by the house during those last days to tell them what she meant to them or shared a story about how she encouraged them or helped them.
“Precious in the sight of the Lord are the death of His godly ones.” Psalm 116:15
*Special thanks to Josh’s cousin, Clay, for this painting of Gran. It was beautiful!
