remembering grandma

hubby's grandma shearer passed away sunday evening after a brief illness.  she was 83 years old.

"big" grandma was a wonderful cook.  i remember her egg custard pies.  but i think my favorite was her stuffing.  at christmas and thanksgiving, i could eat nothing but her stuffing with gravy.  she gave me the recipe once - it was a church recipe for serving, like 50 people - and i tried it, but it just wasn't the same.

grandma lived 2 hours away, so we didn't get to visit her as often as we liked.  thanksgiving, christmas, and at one point easter, we would have family dinners.  for the past couple of years, we had "christmas in july/august" since it was easier for the families to get together then.  we usually paired these visits with trips to the baltimore aquarium and my semiannual shopping trip to whole foods.

we last saw grandma a few weeks ago.  she was tired and looked so weary.  my last image of her was laying in the recliner, bundled in an afghan, dozing off.  we'd planned on visiting her in a couple of weeks.  guess that won't be happening now.

i now only have 2 grandmothers left - my "nany" and hubby's "mammaw".  i am grateful that the kids got to have great grandmothers for as long as they did.  i was thrilled, when i married hubby, to gain 3 grandparents.  my own grandparents, except for nany, were gone before i was a teenager.  and for those who know me, family is important, especially grandparents.

my heart hurts, losing grandma so quickly and really, unexpectedly.  i knew she was in poor health.  i guess i thought she'd rally and get better.  and though my head tells me that she is in a better place - she is now with grandpa, who passed away 5 years ago, and that she is now with my ani and mac - my heart hurts, becos i am selfish, and i want her here with us.

grandma holding petunia - probably 3 months old at this time.

holding freddie...same visit.  we ate out at a buffet, and then the next day we were sick as dogs.  never knew if it was the buffet or some virus.  i felt awful that we left her with a stomach bug.

at the kiddos' baptism.  they were not quite 2 months old.  grandma is holding petunia, hubby's holding freddie, and that's hubby's pop.  both our dads baptized the kiddos.  i am grateful the great grandmothers were there for the baptisms.

grandma made each of the kids a quilt when they were born.  this was freddie's.

petunia's quilt.

the boy's quilt.  she also made humpty dumptys.  the kids each have one too.

grandma and grandpa, holding the boy.  the boy was probably 2 months old here.


it seems that we are all so busy, busy with ourselves, our immediate families, and don't take the time to tell someone that we love them, or spend time with them.  it is so important to do this.  we never know when we will see someone again.  and in our case, we'll never get to spend another day with grandma, watching her play with the kiddos, ever again.


goodbye grandma.  i love you.  you are now at peace.