Sunday, August 16, 2009

My grandma turned 76 today. The sister of four brothers, she ran away when the last boy was born refusing to accept the challenge of being the only girl. She grew up on a farm planting, growing, and canning her food. At the young age of 16 she married my grandfather whom she met at a dance. He walked her home and the rest is history. A mother of two daughters and just as many sons, grandmother to one boy and five girls, and great grandmother to three boys and four girls she's spent most of her life caring for children in some capacity. For me and I suspect all of my cousins she is the nurturer. Her hugs are like being wrapped in a warm blanked on a cold winter day. She is always the first to bandage an owie or mend a broken heart. She's been the matriarch of the family for as long as I can remember pulling us all together and keeping us close. I watch her with Hayden and my heart is so full. This is what I wanted for both him and Erin, to be with this woman who has so profoundly shaped my life.

With that comes the realization that I have not spent nearly enough time with my aunt and grandma over the past year. Yes, there have been quite a few things going on so I won't be too hard on myself, but I am going to commit to having Sunday dinner with them weekly. I'll have to check with them first. Their schedules tend to be busier than mine!

2 comments:

E. Michelle said...

this is beautiful-- simply written and forceful. and sandra, the idea of yourhaving that sunday dinner commitment-- it seems to me it will usher a little more wholeness and sanity into our world.

aola said...

you are so blessed to have her in your life and the really wonderful thing is that you realize that.
My Grandmother had Alzheimer's and was sick for most of my teen years. She died when I was 16. BUT, all of my early childhood memories are of her. She was a wonderful Grandmother, strong and independent, the bread winner in their family at a time where women just didn't do that.

This is a beautiful post.