Thursday, February 11, 2010

Dorothy Sanzari

--Nanny & Papa dancing--

--Mom, me, and Nanny--
I wish I were posting pictures of my new craft room or the awesome dress I just made. However, today's post is dedicated to Dorothy Sanzari, my grandmother. Last night she suffered a massive heart attack and passed away this morning. She and my grandpa will be celebrating 60 years of marriage tomorrow, and this year was her 80th birthday.

Nanny wasn't Italian, but she could sure cook like one. My papa always said that good Italian cooking was a part of their marriage vows. Dorothy lived in southern Jersey where she and my grandpa, Marty, were actively involved in their retirement community. Nobody loved on Dorothy as much as Marty did. He constantly was adoring her, nagging her, and loving her. Together they had 3 kids and 5 grandkids.

Some of my favorite memories come from snowy days in NJ. Visiting Nanny was the only time we saw real snow that we could play in. This morning I woke up to a sheet of white snow covering our yard and house - it was a sweet reminder of her.

Macaroni salad. You don't even know what this is if you haven't tasted Dorothy's recipe.

When my grandparents lived in north Jersey, we would take trips to New York. My nanny would zip around like a true New Yorker, yelling parking and driving commands at my Papa. She would yell and yell at my Papa's crazy driving - it was so funny! He would just sit back in the driver's seat and sing Sinatra off-key.

Dorothy loved trips to Florida. She and Marty would take them every Spring. They were planning another trip this March.

I miss her. And my hearts breaks for my Papa. God is good and sovereign and I know that one day He will bring all things back to perfection. Oh, come quickly Lord!

Monday, February 1, 2010

Reflection...

Yesterday a news article was published in papers around the world about my paster, Matt Chandler, at The Village Church. News Story....

Chandler's story brings back some dark, but joyful moments in my life. I've been cancer free now for 20 months. One sweet morning came to mind that I documented in this blog post. It was right after I found out I was officially cancer free. Jonathan had just begun pursuing me and making his intent known. The text was from him and so was the rose (refer to blog). This post makes me smile, cry, and feel humbled. It's a sweet reflection of the calm after a horrible storm, and God's faithfulness through every moment.