I feel blessed to know both Grandma and Grandmother. They have both been strong influences on my life. They both would do special things for me that made me feel like I was loved.
Grandmother died when I was a junior in high school, but I was always impressed with her livelihood and spunk. She was always asking me how I was doing in school, and wanted to make sure that I was doing well in my studies. She would ask me about books I was reading. She and Uncle John would go on trips and always bring us something. I looked forward to her visits because she would bring sliced roast beef and rolls for the kids' dinner so that she could take Mom and Dad out to eat. She would buy Dad a pair of Florsheim shoes once a year, and always bring us salt water taffy from her conference trips. She was always thinking of others.
Grandma has always supplied a good amount of fun in my life. I think that my trips to Lake Powell with her were my "coming of age" moments. She would treat me as more of a young adult than a child (which coming from a household full of little ones, was always refreshing). On one trip, Grandma taught Joel and me the finer techniques of how to make noisy belches. While Mom and Dad taught me how to drive (in St. Johns), it was Grandma that taught me how to drive in the city. It is fun, even now, to go and visit Grandma and offer to take her out to dinner. She lights up, and seems to appreciate the attention.
I love you Grandma and Grandmother.
Nathan
3 comments:
Thank you, Nathan, for bringing your grandmothers to everyone's attention. Mother's Day is for honoring them as well.
I hope your fondest memory of Grandma is not learning to belch, however. You were too young to remember how she took care of you while I was going to school. She was a second mother to you. Also, you were probably 10 years old before you had any clothes that she hadn't bought for you and your sibs. And that was before she was into thrift store shopping!
I know she and I haven't always seen eye to eye, but she is a good example of a woman who gave everything she had and everything she was to her career of motherhood, and then, Grandmotherhood. If I can do as well, I will be glad.
And, Grandmother welcomed me into her family just as if I were her own daughter. I loved her very much and always appreciated her. She was smart, stylish, and expected nothing less of her children and grandchildren. You all have a lot to be thankful for in both your grandmothers.
Mom
These two special Mothers have had a great influence on my life in more ways than I can know.
Grandma, raised a wonderful daughter to be your Mother. As I think back on it she tolerated us as a family when we would descend on her house in what seemed like a once a month expereince while we lived in St. Johns. Because of our money supply we would often "vacation" at her house. She was always most concerned about us traveling back home late at night (we did that a lot, because then we could put you all asleep in the Suburban--the Rabbit wasn't condusive to sleeping. I am thankful to her for the untold help she has been throughout our lives. I love her in a very special way.
Grandmother, most of you didn't know, but she and I were very close (Bob and Raelene were both much older than I)and I felt like an only child sometimes. Mom will say all the time probably. She helped me through the loss of "King" and through all the other challenges life brings. Before I would go to sleep I would ask her what she was doing the next day, because then I was sure she would be there when I woke up. She is still missed, but I have absolute confidence in our reunion one day. I love her too in a very special way.
The lives of both of these great women are reflected in your lives and the lives of you families. Heavenly Father has blessed us richly with that heritage for which I am daily grateful.
Dad
My memories of Grandmother are, The feeling of being very loved when I was there. I felt like I may have been the favorite because I had her name. I remember her nails were alwyas painted, and her hair was always curled, I remember the smell of stew and roman holiday cooking in her house.
The dolls Esther and I loved to look at on her shelf and touch
ever so carefully. She had a really cool old fashioned phone that we would pretend to call someone important on. I remember when she came to visit us she would bring huge bags of popcorn. and for Christmas the jerky and tootsie roll piggy banks?
She was a wonderful person I remember being young, and feel she was watching out for me from heaven.
Grandma also taught Emily and I how to burp on my one and only trip to Lake Powel. I thought it was hilarious that a grandma would do such a thing. I remember her shopping and shopping and then I had to try on and try on clothes. Which I was glad to have the clothes but hated trying them on. She loves spending time and talking to us. She would take us shopping and to lunch.
When I lived in Mesa she would call and ask if I had eaten because she was coming over and bringing Chinese food. It was always fun. And the conversation was always entertaining. I have so many memories with Grandma.
Rachel
Post a Comment