Great-Grandma

My Great-Grandma was one of the most amazing women I have ever known. I guess I should start at my beginning. 


I was born the day after my great-grandparents 50th anniversary. This made it very easy for me to keep track of how long they were married (Me + 50). I know some people don't know their grandparents, let alone their great-grandparents. I am very blessed.


I was homeschooled, so there was some flexibility in our daily schedule. I don't know where the idea came from, I just know that my mom decided when I was little that we would go to the library once a week and then go see my great-grandparents. 


So once a week, we went to the library and filled the duffle bag we called the "book bag". We really did fill it. It was big. Then we would go to Great-Grandpa & Grandma's. Grandma always had a pot of coffee on--she made the best coffee in the world, but I think it was the company. 


They always had pop in the fridge for us. Great-Grandpa & Grandma knew what flavors we liked and made sure there was one in the fridge when we got there. We knew we had to wait until they asked if we wanted a pop to get one. Once in a while we would ask. :)


Sometimes Grandma would make a cake when we were there. She cut very big pieces because she didn't want there to be leftovers for just her and Grandpa. We always whined if she asked Mom to cut the cake because Mom cut small pieces. 


If we got to stay for lunch, Grandma always had great things. She kept the shaped macaroni-n-cheese on hand. Super Mario? Check! Scooby-Doo? Check! Sometimes there would be what seemed like hundreds of TV Dinners. There was a different one for everyone. Once in a while there were personal pot pies--I always took a chicken and broccoli one of those. Whatever it was we were always excited. It would be a treat because we wouldn't normally get it at home.


My great-grandparents always had time to tell us stories from the past. I wrote a biography on Great-Grandpa my freshman year of high school. One of the best things I ever did, because now I have those stories to pass on to my kids some day. My favorite story of my great-grandma is from long ago.


One year Great-Grandpa was working on a barn (I think it was out at a Christian camp not far from where they lived). It was April Fool's Day, and Grandma decided to get the guys good. :) Everyone loved when she made chocolate covered graham crackers, so she did. All the guys tackled them and soon found these were some special cookies. Grandma had dipped cardboard in chocolate. :) What a surprise for them! :)


When Great-Grandpa & Grandma got older and had a hard time getting around, they moved to a nursing home. It was a normal nursing home with two beds to a room. The great thing was that Great-Grandpa & Grandma shared a room. There was a picture on the wall in their room (it is still above the bed that my Great-Grandpa has in the same nursing home). It was from a family reunion we had at their house several years ago. There were pictures of them with all their kids, then ones with their grandkids and kids. The one that I love--that I still cry every time I see it--is the one of just Grandpa & Grandma. They are sitting in lawn chairs in front of their house. Grandma is leaned over kissing Grandpa on the cheek. That picture is a snapshot of their whole relationship for me.


My Great-Grandma went to sleep 3 years ago this week. She didn't wake up. My great-grandparents had been married for 71 1/2 years. There is still a hole in my heart. Some days I miss her so much that I feel like I can't breathe. I keep telling myself how blessed I am--I knew her. But I can't wait to see her again.


That's all I've got. Have a good week. Be thankful for the people in your life.