Andrea
My Grandma knew how to be a Grandma. Apparently it is fairly simple, yet it does take a lot of effort. 1) She listened to her Grandchildren. If she asked us a question, she would wait for an answer instead of interrupting or starting a conversation with someone else. 2) She played with her Grandchildren. She danced with us. She painted with us. She played hide and seek with us. She would shut our Grandpa in the closet to make us laugh. 3) She got excited for her Grandchildren about anything they were excited about. It didn't matter if she did not particularly LIKE our focus, she got excited FOR us. 4) She would cook her Grandchildren their favorite food if she knew they were coming over. I cannot tell you how many times I would come home from college and she would have a gallon of sun tea and a bowl of orange carrot salad with a tub of cool whip in the fridge. 5) She did not mock, make fun of or speak poorly of her Grandchildren's parents. Even if she did not agree with them spiritually, politically or morally, she respected that they were the parents. If she had something to say to the parent, she said it to the parent. She did not cowardly drag us kids into anything. 6) She just loved us. She didn't talk mean about us, she did not complain that we weren't doing enough, she didn't blame us for anything. Was she perfect? No. But neither am I. But she was the best I have ever seen when it comes to Grandma Couture! She should have written a book… I would have bought it. So my desire is to cherish all of her Grandmotherness and pile it on my own Grandchildren some day. I loved her dearly. I failed her many times. I miss her terribly. She was a solid person throughout my life when there was no one else I could truly count on. She would let me cry and not get angry with me. If I had a problem or concern or heartache, she was the one I wanted to talk to. I wish I had her back, I would do so many things differently, but that isn't how it works. So I thank the Lord for all the time that I did have with her, I thank Him that I was able to be with her in her last days, I thank Him that I was able to tell her "I'm Sorry" and to tell her "I love you" and to repeatedly say "Thank you." I thank Him that MY children were able to know her and love her and dance with her! How many Great-Grandkids dance to "Shudders and Screams" or "Hello Wall" or Johnny Cash with their Great Grandma??? Grandma was the first person to make real homemade cut-up-the-potatoes french fries for our kids! They will remember that always! She was awesome! And for sure one of a kind, the stuff that legends are made of. The memories are priceless, and for that I am grateful. I could go on forever with stories and memories. We all were so, so blessed to have known her and to have her love us.