my grandmother

My grandmother died yesterday morning. Her funeral will be next Tuesday. If I can, this is what I'm going to try and read in her memory.

In many ways it doesn’t seem all that long ago that we gathered here to say goodbye to Grandpa Gibbs. 

Back then my children were all in elementary school. But time has passed. Just last week Scott and I drove our oldest daughter to the University of Alabama to begin college. Yes, time has passed.

We are now gathered here to say goodbye to Grandma Gibbs. I debated about trying to write an essay about her. It was difficult for me to share my memories of Grandpa and I just wasn’t sure if I’d be able to get through reading whatever I was able to write down.

But, my need to talk about her and remember her outweighed my reservations. You see, just this past Saturday I was in the kitchen making Julia her ‘send off’ meal. She had asked for chicken and dumplings, cornbread, green beans, squash and chocolate cake. When I started getting out the eggs, shortening and flour to make the dumplings, I called Julia and Abbey into the kitchen so they could watch and learn. They love to eat chicken and dumplings, but making them, well, that is another matter.

Abbey’s comment was, “It would be a lot easier if you had these measurements written down.”  I laughed. Yep, it sure would, but that isn’t how I learned. I had to watch Grandma and my Mom make them and learn to ‘eye ball’ the measurements.

Needless to say, this last batch of chicken and dumplings was pretty tasty. Not quite as good as Grandma’s, but maybe with some more years of practice, I might come close!

I have many memories about Grandma that involve food. It was one way she showed her love. Pecan pie, thumbprint cookies, German chocolate cake, fried chicken. All made by her for us to enjoy.

Speaking of enjoyment, I don’t think I will ever see a Beanie Baby and not think of her. I asked her once why she started collecting them and she said that growing up she didn’t have a lot of toys, so she was going to buy and enjoy them now. And boy did she ever! Beanie babies were everywhere!!

She liked to do crafts and enjoyed crocheting. I still have the afgan she made for me when I got my first apartment. She also liked to garden and took such pride in her plants. Remember when she was going to learn to play the organ? Remember how she always had a pack of gum in her purse?

We all have different memories and in the end that is what life is about. Good ones will carry us through the hard times. And as the years pass, and they will do just that, we can look back and smile and remember.