Alvin, Ralph and Virginia, circa 1946 We visited Grandma Virginia at the end of December on our road trip home from Michigan. She was asleep when we arrived around 4 in the afternoon--John, Elisabeth, Henry and I. I was determined to see her though, so I decided to wake her up. She sleeps plenty, I told myself. I sat on the bed and said gently, "Hi Grandma, it's Laurel." No response--she was sleeping soundly. I told John and the kids to go down the hall and enjoy a card game, and I sat with my grandma. I tried for a while to wake her up by gently rubbing her back and saying her name, but then that seemed like that was just not going to work . . . so I started singing. "O come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant . . ." it was still Christmas after all. During the third verse she opened her eyes and turned her head toward me with a big smile. "That was beautiful! When's the concert?" "Grandma that was the concert!" ...