My Grandmothers

Today is my Grandma Rita's 99th birthday (in heaven)! I've been thinking a lot about my grandmothers lately. I miss them so! I was truly blessed to get to spend so much time with them in my youth. Each one was an extraordinary woman, and I gleaned so much from my time with them and their love and example to me. I'm so grateful that one day I will see them all again!

My Grandma or Granny G, Rita, my dad's mom. Some of my favorite memories of her include making Easter basket cupcakes at Aunt Janet's house in California when I was really little; Christmas 1984 at her house in Ohio with all of our huge family and her red and green popcorn balls; and all the summer days spent with her in Idaho - playing Skipbo was a favorite! I sure love you Grandma and can't wait to see you again!

My Granny, Wanda, my mom's mom. Some of my favorite memories of her are all the walks we used to take in the evenings- shopping at Safeway, taking Slick (the dog) to use the bathroom, locking the laundry room and swimming pool of the apartment building she lived in my whole life; Christmas dinners with all the family in her apartment; and the Pillsbury Doughboy cookie jar she had in her kitchen my whole life that she left to me when she passed that has lived in my kitchen now for the past 20 years. I love you Granny and can't wait to see you again!

My Grandma, Alice, my step-dad's mom. Some of my favorite memories of Grandma are the huge 4-generation Thanksgiving dinners we used to have; the smaller -just our family- dinners at her house every month (I can still taste her enchilada pie, salad with homemade ranch dressing, and Oreo & mint ice cream dessert); and the pounds and pounds of homemade chocolates she'd dip every year for each of her family members- I'd get my own Chinese take-out box filled with all of my favorites from her! I love you Grandma and I can't wait to see you again!

My Grannybelle, Glenda, my step-mom's mom. I was already grown up when she came into my life, but I still have some favorite memories of her. When my dad and her daughter decided to get married, she sent me and Leonard a beautiful card welcoming us to the family, it made us feel so special and included; I remember the awesome Fleece Navidad she sent us one Christmas- scarves and gloves that were warm and soft; I remember her raspy voice and cute laugh. I love you Grannybelle and can't wait to see you again!

This is my Great-grandmother, Jessie Mae, my mom's mom's mom. She passed away when my mom was just a little girl. I got to spend the last precious days of my Granny's life with her and I remember her telling me that her mother was coming to visit her. I believe that is true. Granny told me of the time when she was a little girl, it was her birthday and her mom let her stay home from school. She got to wear a brand-new dress her mother had made for her and her mom was making her a birthday cake. In the afternoon her school bus turned down the road to her house. She thought the bus driver made a mistake and forgot she wasn't on the bus. It turns out the bus was filled with all of her classmates arriving for her surprise birthday party! My Granny's parents had 9 children and she said they made each one feel like they were the favorite. I hope my kids say that about me and Leonard! I don't know my Great-grandmother, but I love her and I can't wait to meet her someday!