Me and Grandma - - 1966
I have so many fond memories of Grandma, that there's no way I could list them all here. But I did want to write about the kind of person she was to me, and the effect she had on my life.
Grandma was always a special part of my life. I think part of me really thought I'd never have to say good-bye to her, and I sometimes I still can't believe she's gone. She was such an integral part of my life.....She was always there, and I guess I thought she always would be. Even though we lived in different states, she always felt close by, and my brother and I felt that we were just as special to her as our cousins who lived near her. She always had a special knack for making each of us feel that we were her "favorite", and sometimes we still "argue" about who the favorite really was.
(I know it was me...) ;-)
Some of my favorite memories of Grandma are of her visits to Boise. Grandma was terrified of flying, so she would always take the bus from Salt Lake City to Boise. She always liked to sit up front, right behind the driver. Maybe she felt safer there, or maybe the view was better.....but we always suspected the real reason she sat there was to "help" the driver by keeping him company, or giving him directions. We always had to smile about that.
Before Grandma came we always made sure we had grapefruit juice and Fresca in the fridge, since those were her favorites. The day she was to arrive always seemed like such a long day to my little brother and I. We just couldn't wait for her bus to pull in! When Grandma finally arrived, we would often stop at KFC on the way home from the bus station to pick up some chicken for dinner. Don't ask me why, but it seemed to be a tradition.
Grandma could never visit often enough to satisfy me. She would come for my piano recitals, for holidays, or sometimes just because. As she got older, she came less and less.....it was too hard on her, and she just preferred to be home. Instead, we tried to get to Utah as often as we could.
I was lucky enough to live just minutes away from Grandma while I was attending the University of Utah. Grandma and I had a Saturday tradition of taking the city bus downtown, and having lunch at the ZCMI Tearoom. As I got busier with school and work, I didn't always go with her every Saturday......and now I wish I had! But I still cherish the memories I have of Grandma and I puttering around in downtown Salt Lake City!
The last time Grandma ever came to Boise was for my wedding in May of 1991. My cousins, Kim and Kay, drove her up for the wedding, and it meant so much to me to have them all there.
The last time I ever saw Grandma was on March 5, 1995. She was resting in her bed, and when I tried talking to her,
I could tell she didn't know who I was.
I was completely devastated.
Someone finally thought to put Grandma's glasses on her, and as soon as she had them on and could focus on me standing there, her face just lit up. She DID know it was me! She was able to see Corissa (then 12 months old) one last time, and I was able to say good-bye. I kissed her cheek, told her I loved her, and then my brother did the same.
The last thing she said to me was, "I love you, too, Lisa."
We said good-bye, and headed back to Idaho early the next morning. Grandma died that night.
It seems like I've typed so much, but I've really said so little about Grandma, and what she meant to me. I guess sometimes there's really no way to express in words what we feel in our hearts. Grandma made me feel so special, and so very, very loved. I'll never ever forget her, and will hold her memory in my heart until I see her again.
Jeg elsker dig, bedstemor.
(I love you, Grandma)
Grandma with my daughter, Corissa - - 1994
|
 
|