Dear Grandma,It's a beautiful fall day. The weather is starting to turn, the kind of day that just makes you happy. I've been thinking about you a lot this week.
I wanted to tell you how much I miss you. Sometimes, three years later, I still feel a big hole. The knowledge that you were there always made the world just a little better. I wish badly that I could talk to you, and share with you. Just to update you on the news. We're still the same loud, loving, opinionated family you oversaw... with a few personnel changes.
We had another baby-- I have three little boys! Cory and Anthony had a baby, too (did you even know they had gotten married?). Eric got married to Vicki and they had an adorable little girl. Cassie and Matt have a little girl who looks exactly like her mommy. Kati and JP added a little boy. Chris and Jennie adopted a little girl, and on the day of your funeral Jennie told me she just felt that was going to happen. Erin and Jeremy are having another baby very (!) soon. And Ali and Dustin are adopting a little boy in December. (Did I forget anyone? Maybe....) How many great-grandchildren does this make? A lot....
And we're still growing up and moving around and moving on. Annie's in South Korea. Phil's in Sweden. Laura's in college (she's so old!). Erin and Jeremy moved. We moved. Cassie and Cory are in Chicago. I don't even know what everyone else is up to.
And. We lost Barb this summer. You would be so proud of her boys, Grandma. I know we all wish we could make it easier for them, but they did everything right by their mom. Even in the sadness, I know how happy that would make you. And Jennie is sick now. We know she's going to fight and win-- we just want to give her all the strength and love in the world.
A lot of us will be together this weekend, because Mike's getting married to Tammy! We'll think of you, and wish you could be there with us, and wish we could have a wheelchair dance with you. We'll have plenty of fun for you, and I'll be sure to let you know what the menu is.
Anyway. Thank you, Grandma. Even when I miss you the most, I can think about this wonderful family that you gave us and it immediately brings me peace. They are the best gift you could have left. And through each other, we will always have you.
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Thank you for sharing a such a lovely letter. She obviously meant a lot to you and your family. Even though I don't know anyone, I got misty-eyed.
ReplyDeleteOh Teresa, that was such a beautiful sentiment. I have heard a few stories about your wonderfully strong willed Grandma. I'm sure she would be overjoyed, and incredibly proud of you all. I think a good cry can be cathartic, so if you'll excuse me, I think I have something in my eye...
ReplyDeleteThanks, Teresa. It was so great to open up your page and see Grandma. It made me weepy even before I read it. Just a couple of weeks ago I had a board mtg. for our local YWCA and as an exercise we had to go around and talk about our ethnicity and maybe bring something that represents it and us. I didn't bring anything, but I told them about Grandma, and her Danish heritage, her never ending confidence, learning to e-mail when she was close to 90 (and the touch of narcolepsy that often led to 3 or 4 lines of one letter....) and the unspoken expectation that we were all family and would always be a group, together with her at the helm. Maybe our Creswellist and great distances made small by that technology she embraced is one little legacy we have--I miss her too but love your summary of how she lives on.
ReplyDeleteLove you!
Tracey
PS. I had to mention her Scandinavian matter of factness about nudity, as well. I don't think anyone else I know EVER saw their Grandma naked--one of the things that still makes me giggle when I think of her!!!!