Grandma

Yesterday was my grandmother's birthday. She was such a wonderful lady. I was one of those lucky kids who lived close to their grandparents. For almost my entire life, my dad's mom (and dad until he passed when I was a little girl) have only been a short distance from me. Grandma was always the one to watch Nathan and me when my parents were out of town. For a few years she even lived right across the street. I would go over all the time to play games with her. She had so many fun games, but my favorite one was always Rummi Cube. I spent countless afternoon hours playing games with my grandma. Sometimes her sisters Aunt Corkie and Aunt Sharon would come for a visit, giving us more people to play and share stories with. My sister Alison and I were talking a little while ago about the odd foods that we really like, thanks to Grandma. My list includes things like "pink milk," carrot juice, carob chips, dates, and grilled cheese sandwiches with mayonnaise. She also made the best chicken in this wonderful gravy-like sauce. I thought it was so great how she always served it with sandwich bread and butter. There was something so delicious and wonderful about the grocery store bread with butter on it--maybe it's because I got to eat it on her blue carpet, sitting at her table that had a plastic cloth underneath the lace tablecloth, looking at her beautiful paintings of birds and flowers that hung on each wall.

I will always be sad that Adam didn't get to meet any of my grandparents. When we were married, Grandma King was the only one still living, but she was too ill to make the trip. We made plans to go visit her over a long weekend, but she passed away the month before. I think he got to know her pretty well, though, being at her funeral and hearing a few of the amazing parts of her life. As a side note, I will always be grateful for the wonderful opportunity that I had to be able to dress and prepare her for burial, along with my mother and all of my sisters. It was such a blessing for us to be there together, dressing her in the same temple dress that I have (good choice, Alison), curling her hair just the way she always like it, and doing her make-up. We had even been able to get her "Grandma pink" lipstick for her to wear. It was amazing to see the difference from when we walked in the room to see a body we didn't really recognize, to when we the room after spending time with someone we loved so much, and leaving her Earthly body looking just the way we remembered. She was so angry to have been left on Earth for so long after Grandpa died--it was almost 20 years. We are all grateful to know that they are together again, and that we will get to be with them again, too.

Happy birthday, Grandma! I love you!!!