Love you, Grandma!

Today my beautiful, sweet, smart as a whip Grandma passed away to join her husband and family in Heaven.  She is having a most wonderful reunion, I'm sure, with her sweetheart who was gone for close to  30 years, and her little daughter who died at around age 2.  Not to mention her parents (she never knew her father) and other family.  She was 91 and my hero.  She was a small in size, but a large in presence queen of a woman.  So tender and loving, and made every child feel like her favorite.  She had great presence of mind until the very end of her life.

I feel so privileged to have had her in my life!  She is a great example to me and my family.  I was able to visit her last night, and looked through a memory book my Aunts made of her.  Well, I'm sure she probably helped as she was the family history queen.  I was able to read her Patriarchal Blessing, a letter she wrote to the First Presidency when she put in her mission papers requesting that she and her cousin be mission companions if it was ok (they were!), and some goals that she and my grandpa had written down so many years ago.  It was so neat to see that their goals are the same goals we have!  She had written - keep the house clean, deep clean the house twice a year, lose 3 pounds, eat more nutritiously, get out of debt, hold regular family home evening, keep a current temple recommend, have her daughters teach her to play the violin.

Every time I was with Grandma I found out ways that we were alike, which thrilled me.  We both taught ourselves to play piano at around the same age (she also played the organ.  I can get by on the organ, but would like to do better), we have the same values and goals for our families, we are both patriotic and have similar political views, we are built much the same, although I have to say she was in better shape at my age than I am, we have similar decorating tastes, she loved seeing the world and I would love to do the same, I want to go on a mission like she did (but I want my hubby to be with me), she has a great sense of humor and we loved to talk and laugh together, she loves my husband and so do I :), we both love family history and family stories.

She gave my son his red hair (at least half the genes for it), and I have always wanted my hair to go white like hers.  It makes her look more like the angel she is, and always has been to me.

I will miss you Grandma!!  Until we meet again...