So my Grandma died yesterday around 6:00 pm. Heaven got an angel last night and earth lost one. And while this is truly a blessing for her, I am still sad. She is an amazing woman one whom I would like to grow up to be just like. So I wanted to put down in writing some of my best memories of Grandma. She will truly be missed.
I was lucky enough to live next door to this sweet woman for almost 21 years then I got to move in with her for about 7 months after Jon and I were married until we moved to Logan. I always thought that had we been the same age we would have been great friends. I don't just consider her my grandma but she is my friend and I love her so much. All this time spent with her has given me many memories and great times with her.
When we were little we would always play at her house she had so many fun toys that we would all fight over. We would ride our bikes around my grandparents house I don't know if it was because they had more sidewalk or they were tending us or we just loved being over there, I'd like to think the latter. They had an orchard in their back yard when I was a little older almost a teenager. We would rake the leaves into house layouts and play there for hours. When ever we would burn ourselves we would run to her house because she had an aloe vera plant that she would cut a piece from and squeeze the juice out onto our fingers. We would run over there when we needed bandaids as well and she would always have bandaids for us and bandage us up.
Sleep overs at my Grandmas house were the best. We would get to sleep over usually if cousins were sleeping over since we did live right next door. We would always wear her nightgowns she had a whole bunch of silky nightgowns that we would all want to wear to bed so she would pull them all out of her drawers and let us choose which one we wanted to wear. It was always a fun time at her house.
I loved it when my grandma would cook for us. She made the best food. She taught me secrets about cooking eggs, using milk and not over cooking them. She got me to love green beans now my favorite vegetable because of how she would prepare it. There were vegetables always at every meal. If she fixed you lunch it was not just a sandwich. One of my favorite lunches that we shared a lot was a frozen pizza, a totinos, with broccoli or green beans on the side. I loved that lunch. She made squash taste awesome and cooked carrots. You really couldn't not like a vegetable that she cooked.
She also taught me so much. Whenever we would go over she would ask us if we wanted a cookie or graham cracker. We were kids, of course the answer was yes but a lot of times (probably so not put her out) when she asked I would say I don't care. She would come back with “I don't care either so if you want one you need to say yes please or no thank you if you don't”. She taught me about cooking as well. She also gave me advice on Marriage. As I said earlier my husband and I lived with her when we were first married her husband had been dead many years so it was her and us. Well on night I was surprising Jon with dinner. She only had one kitchen so we shared it with her. While I was making dinner she had company so I was cooking alone in her kitchen and had everything ready. I sat down at the table to wait for Jon who was supposed to be home but had not returned from work yet. I was getting mad the more the time went by and after her company left she came in the kitchen because she could tell I was getting mad. And she said to me you know I learned a long time ago with your grandpa the they can't read our minds. I had told her about the dinner so she knew he didn't know about it. She said he doesn't know you have anything planned for him and he might have had something come up you don't know why he is delayed. She calmed me down and helped me to not be angry at him because she was right I didn't know if anything important or serious had delayed him and he didn't know there was dinner waiting for him. She was so full of wisdom and understanding and she shared it in such a kind caring way that you knew she loved you and wanted to help.
One of the things I loved to talk about with her when I would come to visit is the family. She knew everything who was having a baby, who was moving, what people were up to and not just her kids she knew all of this information about her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was so excited for each new baby being born. I think she really liked talking about everyone's happening and it wasn't gossip at all because my Grandmother did not participate in such an activity. When ever she reported on the family everything she ever said was kind and she was full of love for her children, her grandchildren, and her great grandchildren, and recently great great grandchildren. She had an amazing memory so she would go through all of her grandchildren and know the names and ages of all of their children. It was so much fun to listen to her talk about her family.
I really think this is why she hung on for so long. It was for us. As much as we will miss her I know she will miss all of us so much. I think if she could have had her way she would be here until we were all gone and since generations keep going and going that would be forever. She didn't want to leave all of her family even though where she is, she has a better chance of watching over us and helping us. But her family was her life. If you ever visited with her for long you could really feel that. Just walking into her house you knew that was true, pictures of everyone and their families all over her living room.
She is amazing and we will miss her leadership and example. Love you Grandma. See you in awhile. In the meantime tell my Dad I love him and miss him and grandpa too. And catch up with all your brothers and sisters and your other sons and all your loved ones there. Check in on us every once in awhile to see how we are doing. I know you will.
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