Things I Love About Grandma

My grandmother on Mom’s side passed away this morning.  She lived 98 full years, and I know she was ready to leave this world and be with Grandpa again.  She’d missed him so since he died a few years back.

On their 77th wedding anniversary, my family created a book for them, with each branch listing “77 Things I Love About…”  We all did our part a little differently, some making lists, some writing narrative, some including photos and mementos.  Mom and I wrote our lists together, and came up with a total of 77 things for Grandma and 77 for Grandpa.

I felt it would be appropriate today to share the things I love about Grandma.

1. The memories she created by having the grandkids bake cookies together.
2. Letting us make “surprise cookies” with all the toppings.
3. Re-living those memories every time I bake cookies with her cookie cutters.
4. How she painted her kitchen cabinets blue, green, and purple.
5. How this taught me to be fearless about painting in my own house.
6. That she was always willing to teach me to play piano, even if I was unwilling to learn.
7. She always asks me how my work is going.
8. Sitting in her rocking chair by the warm stove.
9. That she got Grandpa to dress up in costumes to play for the Salvation Army every Christmas.
10. How she always wants to know every bit of news in my life
11. Going through her sheet music with her to choose songs for my wedding.
12. That she learned how to play a George Strait song by ear for my wedding.
13. That she went to college and proved to us all that it’s never too late.
14. Starting three generations of women in my family going to CMSU.
15. Eating fresh vegetables out of the garden.
16. How she worked so hard to preserve all the family history in photos and writing.
17. She kept all the cards and letters I ever sent.
18. Eating on her Blue Willow dishes in her kitchen as a child.
19. Eating on her Blue Willow dishes in my own kitchen now.
20. The quilt she made me that spells out my name.
21. Taught me that everyone in the family sitting in the same room reading their own books is quality time together.
22. That she used to come into Hy-Klas whenever she was in Hamilton and visit me at work.
23. The cinnamon rolls she made from scratch for breakfast.
24. Reading her diary entry from the day she first met Grandpa.
25. The patchwork slipcovers she made for the living room furniture.
26. Listening to her play the piano.
27. Watching her listen to her grandchildren play the piano.
28. The song she wrote about my little red pillow.
29. How she would light the heater for me in the bathroom when I took a bath.
30. How she always found a use for everything and let nothing go to waste.
31. How she worked to make everything she used beautiful.
32. She never got tired of receiving one more Christmas gift with a music theme.
33. That I inherited her youthful good looks.
34. Going to church with her on Sunday morning.
35. That she worked so hard to learn to use a computer and laptop.
36. Drinking a cup of hot tea with her.
37. Her love of reading and going to the library.
38. How she is always so happy to see everyone.
39. Passing along her love of Volkswagen Beetles.
40. She suggested I plant flowers in the old Volkswagen.
41. That she let the grandkids put lightning bugs in jars and bring them inside and keep them beside our beds at night.
42. She let the kids and grandkids play in the creek and didn’t care if we got messy.
43. That she let Grandpa trace her silhouette on the kitchen wall and then she left it there.
44. Going to the Mother/Daughter events at church with her.
45. She keeps up with all the family news.
46. She gives great hugs.
47. How she came to help Mom take care of me when I was born.
48. She works hard to make sure all the cousins stay in touch with each other.

I’m so grateful for all the wonderful memories I have of my grandparents, and for all the qualities I inherited from them.  Wherever you are today, Grandma, I know you and Grandpa are together again and making beautiful music!