Ode to my grandma

I've been wanting to blog about my grandma for a while now. She is my idol, just such a big part of my life! For the past couple of years I have had the blessing of spending time with her nearly every week or so and taking her to do her errends. Sometimes I am there only a few hours and sometimes I was able to stay the night and spend even more time. The time I have spent has been more than wonderful and fufilling for me.

The things that are so impressive about my grandma are...

1. Her spunk! She is sharp and witty and I love to laugh with her!

2. Her stamina. She is 93 years old now and has only slowed down for breif moments, and then quickly picked up the pace afterward. Tonight she told me tomorrow she had so much to do, clean her toilets, do her laundry, mop the kitchen floor and still there was more. What 93 year old talks like that, and then actually does it???

3. Her love. My grandma loves so well. I never come or go without feeling like I am the light of her life! Her sweet kisses on my neck, her wispers in my ear, and her unending compliments. But I'm not the only one, I think she makes everyone feel this way. She has love to go around to everyone!

4. Her stregnth. Not always the physical stregnth that I have spoken of, but also the mental stregnth. Since my grandpa died there are times that she has broken down and gotten tears in her eyes, but that is unusual for her. She is STRONG! I don't know that it's always good to hold things inside, but for her it is her way. She has held the weight of the world on her shoulders and you would never know it.

5. Her testimony. My grandma and my grandpa too have always been an example to me of testimony. Without question she follows the counsel of the leaders of the church and the commandments. It is such a huge part of who she is.

6. Her service. Since I can remember my grandma and grandpa always took care of "old people". Even if the old people were younger than they were. They were and are constantly serving others. Now that my grandma is alone and doesn't get around, she is still finding ways to serve. If it is buying a bit of candy for her friends, or stopping to tell a stranger how cute their child is or helping someone on the street with some little thing, she is always serving. She has the spirit of service in her blood!

7. Her friendship. If you ask her friends, they could tell you she is a true friend. Because of the things I have mentioned above, but also because she loves her friends. Their not just "old people" to her, or neighbors, but true friends because she is a true friend.

This list is short and if it weren't late at night I bet I could come up with an endless list. She is a wonderful human and a wonderful friend and a wonderful grandma.

Once again, I am so blessed to have been able to spend this time with her these past years. Now, she is going to Arizona to be with her children and spend some time with them. I am so torn about it. I know she loves her children more than anything and she wants to make them happy. So I know this is what she wants to do, but I also know it is very hard for her. I worry about her and I want her to find peace and happiness where she is. I hope this is the case. I know Stephanie and Staci and the rest of the family will love to be able to see her more and be with her now so that is a good thing, I will just miss her SO much.

I can't wait for a few months to pass so she can come home and we can resume our days together. In the mean time I have already planned a couple of trips to Mesa for the holidays and I will be able to enjoy her there!

Here's some pictures from one of our days together a few months ago.

A sweet hello. Waving at a waitress that she likes.


I love those hands!


Stairway to Heaven! Or grandma's house, I guess it's how you look at it!


Just taking care of grandpa as well as she can. Pulling weeds and adding flowers at the cemetary.


Those eyes...