Grandma's Girl

Yesterday I lost my grandma.

My mom called me around 4:00pm and let me know she had passed.  I live right across the street from the nursing home where Grandma was, so I went over and said goodbye to her before the funeral home  people came.  For the hour I was there I cried and cried.  Finally it was time to go and as I was walking out I ran into the social worker from the hospice facility that was taking care of Grandma.  She looked at me and said, you were "Grandma's Girl weren't you?  We knew about you."

I have always had a close relationship with my grandparents, which has grown with my grandma since my grandpa died seven years ago.  I was the one who lived closest, so I would help out when she needed it.  I spent a whole month with her a few years ago helping with grocery shopping and hair appointments.  I learned how to work her oxygen tank and help her in and out of cars.  But mostly I visited and enjoyed my time listening to her stories.  My grandma was the best listener, only offering advice when it was needed and always telling the truth.  She was on my side in my darkest hours and she cared deeply for my emotional wounds.  She loved with her whole heart.  I loved her with all of mine in return.

I am one of nine grandchildren, third youngest, and the only one to not (yet) have a child of my own.  A few weeks ago I had dinner with my grandma and had the joy of telling her Dave and I were pregnant.  She was so excited.  She told everyone we ran into that day.  I guess she continued to tell people too because everyone congratulated my mom when she would go to the care center.  Last Monday, Dave and I visited Grandma for the last time.  We had been warned that she probably wouldn't know we were there or that she wouldn't know who we were, but that was not our experience.  She was happy to see us.  She not only knew who we were, she knew we were having a baby and that we had decided not to move to California.  She touched my belly and I showed her the most recent ultrasound pictures.  Then we got the joy of telling her the gender of the baby; the only other person we have told.  She promised she would not tell and she didn't.  She teased my mom that she knew but kept her promise.  Our child will be her 18th great-grandchild (she also has 16 great-great-grandchildren).  I am so sad that he/she will never get to meet her, but I am so blessed that she got to know about the pregnancy before she passed.

I am so grateful to have had the best grandparents in the world.

Goodbye Grandma.  I love you.