I wish everyone could have a grandma in their life like mine. She has never been the sweet old lady most think of when they hear the word grandma. She was more of a princess =) But she loved her family. She loved her grandkids and she loved her great-grandkids. She and my grandpa have been major people in my life from the beginning. Grandpa passed away about 10 or 11 years ago and Grandma has wanted to join him ever since. That's how much she loved him. But we were blessed enough to keep her around for a while.
She used to call me on April fools several years in a row and tell me things that I would totally believe like her 12 year old spayed female shih-tzu being pregnant or that school was canceled because it was snowing in Southern California. She used to give me a $1 for every A I would get in school. She paid me to dust her room and clean her collection of spoons on the wall. There were hundreds from all over the world where she and my grandpa had traveled. Her house has always been home to me. It still will be. My siblings and I grew up there and spent so many summers in that pool and most days after school there.
My grandma has been more than just a grandma to me. She has been kind of an older mom who helped raise me and someone who cared about me and loved me the way a mom loves her children. I can't really put into words how special she is to me. She's my grandma.
I've spent many days over there in my adult life and have watched her age slowly. She hated getting old and constantly talked about how one should not live this long. After all, most of her friends had already passed, her husband was gone and all that were left were her offspring. But, what a blessed lady to always have family surrounding her. She was never alone. She feared we were going to put her in a home and talked about how horrible that would be. We reassured her again and again that we would not let that happen and thank God, it never did, thanks to my mom and aunt who took care of her instead.
It is weird to think that she will not be there anymore when I go to her house. I'm not sure I have mentally processed that yet. For me, death is something so hard to grasp for some reason. This woman has been such a huge part of my life and now my life will go on without her.
I am happy that she died the way she did. It is exactly what she wanted. I am happy that my mom and aunt can have relief from the extremely difficult caretaking they have had to do for the last few months or so. I am happy that she loved the Lord. I am happy that she no longer has to put up with neuropathy, going blind, going deaf and aching body parts. I am so happy that my girls were able to know her. They loved their grandma snow. She used to get down on the floor and play with them at 87 years old then crawl over to the couch and grunt and moan to get back up. When she was too weak to stand, she made them crawl up on to her lap so she could hold them and rock them. I am happy that she enjoyed 57 years of marriage to her sweetheart and never could even think of loving anyone else.
I am going to miss her funny comments that she didn't intent to be funny. I am going to miss my grandma. I love that in the end, she didn't have enough strength for physical therapy or even eating, but she did manage to go to get her hair done the day before she died =)
Grandma and me - 1982
High School graduation
In my 20's...
and the recent years
4 generations
Her fav grandson-in-law ;-)
Turkey day
never too old for a rocking motorcycle
newest great-grandbaby
my favorite pic
Thank you Amie for making my day. What a great way to remember her. This is a beautiful memorial to her. I miss her so much. God gave us such a gift in Grandma and Grandpa. They were very special. I can't wait until Jesus comes back and we can all be together with Him and with our family. Life will be so wonderful. Until then we have our wonderful memories. Love you.
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