Remembering Oliver's Grandmamma Linda

Tomorrow marks a sad anniversary for our family. It's hard for me to believe most days, but my mom has been gone for five years. There is so much that has changed in these years, and so much that hasn't. I still use the coffee pot she bought me every day. I just put up Christmas decorations we made together. It seems so strange that things last when people don't. In those five years, her two beautiful grandchildren arrived and she never even got the chance to snuggle them. Though I may be a bit biased, I truly think my mother was one of the most amazing people to have ever lived and I want Oliver to know what a wonderful person she was too.

And that's why I'm blogging tonight. One purpose of this blog is to stay connected with our friends and family. But another and equally important reason is for Oliver. In having the blog printed every year, I am hoping it will be a keepsake for him in the future.

I decided that this was a place that I could share some of my favorite stories about my mom and if you knew her, I would love it if you would do the same!

Oliver, this part's for you. Here are some of my favorite memories...

#1

One of your grandmamma's most defining characteristics was her kindness. When I was younger, I remember there was a homeless man who lived in Waupaca. We saw him one day digging through the dumpster behind Hardee's, so my mom pulled in the drive-thru, ordered a bunch of food, and drove over to where he had been rummaging. He wasn't there anymore, so mom just sat the hot food on the edge of one of the dumpsters and drove into the parking lot so that Uncle Shaunie and I could watch to see if he got his dinner. This was probably more than 20 years ago, but I still remember how happy he looked when he dug in the bag. I remember I was really worried we were going to "get in trouble" for helping him but my mom explained that when people need help, you help them. Simple as that.

#2

Oliver, you may notice you have a LOT of hats. This is cuz of your grandmamma. She loved kids and she was soo great with them. She noticed babies everywhere we went and she was always very concerned when they didn't have a hat on...whether to keep out the wind, the rain, the sun or the cold. You, kiddo, will always have lots of hats, because that would make your grandmamma happy.

#3

Your grandmamma was really big on treating everyone with respect and equality. Your Uncle Shaunie and I were only a year apart, so I'm sure she felt pressure to keep things even. One night when I was about 5 or 6, I was laying in bed and I heard mom tucking Shaun in across the hall. I listened while she helped him say his prayers and then I heard him whisper, "Mom, just say one time that you love me more than Erin. Just one time. I promise I won't tell her. But you love me a tiny bit more, right?" I remember being really nervous. What if she said yes?? But I didn't have to worry because I heard her answer the same answer I'd heard a hundred times before. "Nope, you are my most favorite little boy and Erin in my most favorite little girl. I love you both exactly equally." And I know that she did and that she would be so proud of what a great dad my brother is! #4

Random people were constantly coming up to your grandmamma in the store to ask her questions or chat with her. She used to say it was because she was a magnet for crazy people, but I think she just always looked friendly and approachable and when strangers started talking to her, she would just talk right back to them.

#5

When I was a very little girl, I hated going to school. The bus would come to our house and I would cry. I knew staying at home with my mom was really fun and I didn't realize how great school was yet. My mom used to stand on the deck to keep me company while I waited for the bus. She had this crazy long rainbow print nightgown that she used to wear (this was the 80's, remember) and she used to do a can-can dance in her rainbow nightie to make me laugh, and it always worked. She tried this again when Shaun and I were in middle school. We weren't as impressed by it then.

I could go on and on, of course. I could talk about what an amazing cook she was and how she used to make me a lemon meringue pie and Shaun a cherry one on the first day of school, even if she had to work that day. I could talk about how much she loved her job at the Veteran's home and she took such good care of all the "gramma's and grampa's" that lived out there. I could talk about how creative she was with helping do projects for school or how magical she made holidays for us. I think I'll save those for a different time.

One regret I have is that there aren't more pictures of her. She always shied away from the camera and she was usually the one taking the pictures anyway. So here are a few of my favorites...

Christmas at Grandma Daisy'sI think Connie took this one in L.A. when we visited the St. George's my sophomore year of college. I have lots of great memories from that trip. I love this picture because mom and dad both look so happy. It was taken at Robyn and Jeromy's wedding, I think. I had just started my job in Clintonville and I know my mom was happy to have me back closer to home. I get so sad when I think about how great it would be to live close now that little ones are a part of all our lives. She would have loved that so much. This is the last picture I have. It was September 15th, 2005. I remember because it was mom's 53rd birthday and we were taking her out to dinner. I remember I was so worried because she didn't eat anything. Mom, I miss you every day and I won't let Oliver grow up without knowing what a special person his grandmamma was. If anyone else has a story, feel free to add it to the comments section and it will be included in the printed copy of the blog book when i make it again in April.