Time for an Update

Hey guys, sorry I haven't updated in a long time. Since I last updated, I've been on a two-week choir, done several random photoshoots and have been working just shy of full time. Through all of this I have a lot of great photos that I will be sharing soon, but I would like to take a moment before I do and talk about another big event in my life that has happened recently. I promise I won't speak this candidly very often.

Monday, June 15, my Great-Grandmother Olive Harrison passed away at 101 years old. Although this was not a complete shock at her age it still happened rather quickly. Within a week she went from everyday life to the next life. I obviously have had a flood or emotion and thoughts about her life and what she meant to me, and I would like to share a few quick thoughts.

My great-grandma always supported me. Although I was not able to see her as often as I would have liked during the past three years of my life with college responsibilities, she made the effort (with my grandparents) to come attend various concerts with my school choir. Also, she always wanted to hear about my travels to far away countries and was ready to support me financially in these endeavors. Often in birthday or Christmas cards, along with the normal check, I would find a second one clearly marked in the memo field "For School Use ONLY."

One thing she taught, which I hope to learn all the more with her passing, is the importance of family. I have interesting family issues on both sides (distance, divorce, etc) which keep me from seeing much of my extended family, so I haven't learned this as well as I should yet. I was the first great-grandchild born to my great-grandparents, and they had some concerns about carrying on the family name. They had a boy and a girl, and the boy (my grandpa) had a boy and girl (my mom). So, the only real hope of carrying on the Harrison name was with my uncle, but as he was not yet married and they were getting along in years, they had a discussion with my parents, and I got the middle name of Harrison.

Just a few years ago my uncle got married, and just this February they adopted two beautiful babies, who will officially carry on the family name. They were the latest joy of my great-grandmother's life, and I feel that was the last thing she was waiting for. Seeing them, and having a good relationship with Christ, she was ready to go.

I took this photo just the week prior to her passing. Olive K. Harrison 1908-2009