This week marks the four year anniversary of my Grandma Holt's homegoing to Heaven. I can honestly say that of all the people ever in my life - my grandma impacted my life the most of anyone.
My grandma had a special gift that she gave us. It was time. I realize that all grandparents can not live close to their grandparents. I was blessed as a child to live close to her. My grandma was not rich and lived on a very fixed budget. Time was the one thing that she could give me - and boy, did she!
When we went to Grandma's house, she spent that time with us. My grandma kept bikes in her barn and we would take bike rides in the country - down to the old cemetery in the woods. She had a cabinet of board games and we spent hours playing games at the kitchen table. Sorry, Monopoly, Pull out the Rug, Uno, Skip-Bo and so many more. A treat would be to drive to the local ice cream shop and get a soft serve ice cream cone - dipped in sprinkles or my favorite - Krunch Kote. Grandma loved her sweets. We did things like make apple butter, caramel corn, rhubarb sauce from the rhubarb in the garden, cinnamon rolls. We helped can on occasion.
We always helped do things like the dishes. Even that was fun and a memory. To this day, any grandkid could tell you they learned the order of how to do dishes at Grandma's house. She had a barrel of toys from our parents' days that we would play with.
I knew whenever I wanted to - I could call Grandma on the phone and talk to her. She was always interested in what I wanted to say - always had time to listen.
When my husband and I were dating, she loved him so much. She treated him just like another member of the family.
Being at Grandma's house was a place of peace, joy and comfort. It was a place of love, security and embodied the word "Home".
I am 38 years old, married, have four kids. I have a wonderful life serving the Lord with a loving, Christian husband.
But if I could choose a place to spend my "forever-after"...a time to travel back in time too... it would be at my grandma's house. Play one more board game, take one more bike ride, have one more conversation. One more time to sit in her living room on a summer afternoon and eat our ice cream.
You are dearly loved, Grandma. And I cherish every memory of us - forever and always. Can't wait to see you again in Heaven!
Becky, Thank you so much for your lovely memories of Mom. She was a wonderful mother and grandma and I miss her so much, too. You'll have to stand in line when we get in heaven, I get to hold her and hug her and kiss her first. LOL Thanks for the memories. Aunt Connie
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