My Grandma

Today's blog post is in memory of my dear Grandmother.  She passed away last night, and so my thoughts have been filled with her throughout my day today.

  She was my father's mother and one of the sweetest ladies I know.  She was the kind of lady who would give you the shirt off her back if she felt like you could use it more than her.  She loved to serve people.   She loved having her family around her.  While I was growing up I remember going to her house for many a holiday.  Thanksgiving dinners, Halloween Parties, Birthday Parties, Christmas, 4th of July, etc.

She would often make salads, and invite everyone over.   We would play games like "Pretty Bird in My Cup", and "Meow, Kitty Meow."    I think she enjoyed interacting with the children as much as the adults.   When I was young  if my parents ever needed to leave us long enough that they needed someone to watch us, my memories are always of being at Grandma's house.

Grandma was so thoughtful of others.  I remember one point in time one of my older cousins was living at my Grandparents house.  I don't remember if he was going to school in the evenings or working, but I do remember that she felt it so important that he have a good home cooked meal, and because he wouldn't be there at dinner time, she always made a big meal for lunch.  The times that I happened to be there at lunch time during that time period I remember big meals like roast and mashed potatoes, and spaghetti.  Oh and she always served cool aid.

Grandma didn't have a lot of toys at her house.  There were a few from when my dad and his siblings were younger, but not many.  However, I remember always having fun.   When I was probably about 8, my mom enrolled my older sister and me in swimming lessons at the high school near my Grandma's house.  I remember a few times that Mom dropped us off at Grandma's and then she would walk us over to swimming lessons.  One of these times, I was heading into the locker room, right as someone was coming out.  The door swung out so suddenly that it caught me by surprise and whacked me in the head.  It hit so hard that I got a goose egg.   I remember sitting in the hallway with Grandma, and she bought a can of Sprite from the soda pop machine, and put it on my head, while we waited for my sister to finish swimming lessons that day.


My Grandfather passed away just over 11 years ago.  After he died, Grandma just wasn't the same anymore.  She started forgetting a lot of things, and being quite absent minded.   After a while she became unable to take care of herself, and moved in with my parents.  I was married by this point in time, so I wasn't living there.  But I remember when I would go visit my parents, and how my Grandma loved to play with Cinderella, who was a baby at the time.  Grandma always loved my kids.  Even as her memory started to fade even more, she always seemed to remember the kids, and brighten up when they were around.   My aunts would tell me she would point out pictures of my kids from e-mails, and  tell them stories about the kids.    I don't know if she ever really got to know any of them except Cinderella and Guy though.  By the time Aurora was born, Grandma was pretty much gone.  It was hard to see her vibrant personality slip away, and I have to admit, that I am guilty of not going to visit her much in the last few years, especially after she moved out of my parents house into a care center.  It was too hard.  I wanted to remember my Grandma how she was, not just a shell.  I know I will miss her, but I am glad she is now out of that body that wasn't really working any more.  I am glad she can be with my Grandpa again, and I know that if I live righteously I can see her again, and that she is part of my FOREVER family.

I love you Grandma!

This is Grandma holding Aurora when she was born