A Piece of my Heart...a Memorial to Grandma

This photo of Grandma Evelyn was taken at my Uncle Kenn'y wedding in 1982

Isn't she so beautiful and vibrant??

I turned 28 years old 4 days after my Grandma Evelyn passed away to be with our Father in Heaven.  In those 28 years I have never had to deal with a close relative passing away.  I remember when I was first told that she had passed, I was actually excited.  Excited that at that moment she was having a conversation with God, her family was probably waiting behind Him to give her a big hug.  It was a amazing feeling, and still is.  I think what grief is is the selfishness that a human being feels after having a loved one taken from them (it feels more like being ripped I think), the process of going on with living without someone that used to be there, learning how precious life and those around you are..these are all thoughts that I have had in the past couple of days.  I was dreading the funeral because that would be it, over, done, goodbye...but to my surprise it helped me to move on to the next step of grieving.  I am glad that I was able to see her beautiful face one more time, to tell her how much I love her, to tell her I will see her soon, to tell her the kids love her and Rylie will remember her, to finally let out all the tears that I had been holding back and to feel that is was ok to cry, ok to let myself feel that emptiness and the pain of having her gone. The service was beautiful and I know that she would have loved it.  Well as the title to this blog says, this is a memorial to my Grandma so here is goes...

Evelyn Viola Willson

You are...

~ a daugher

 ~a sister

 ~a wife

 ~a mother

 ~an aunt

 ~a grandmother

 ~a great grandmother

I Remember...

 ~You said things like "Go to grass"

 ~You drove like a crazy woman

 ~You were the stubbornest woman I ever met

 ~You are beautiful

 ~ You always got perms from your friends

 ~You loved animals

 ~Your dog Sparky knocked me down when I was little and to this day I am scared of dogs

 ~Your cat was named Tabby

 ~You looked at your program (General Hospital) every day faithfully at 1:00 and if you couldn't look at it,  

    you recorded it 

~When you got your new car, the eagle, you raced into our driveway, that was before I was in kindergarten 

   and you only had 3 cars after that

~You had a stoke and recovered almost 100%, I think from pure stubbornness, you wouldn't use a

   wheelchair or a walker!

~You used a wood stove for your only heat until it got to be below 0 and then you used the little gas heater in

   the family room

~It was only in this last winter when you would call Mitch or I to get your wood, and that was ONLY if there

  was snow on the ground, if it was 10 below, you could do it yourself, thank you!

~Your huge garden

~When Great Grandma Elsie passed away you let me pick out a piece of her jewelry

~You put oatmeal or crackers in hamburger so it would "go further"

~You never missed a birthday or an event that Mom or I invited you to

~The scary bear head in Uncle Kenny's room that scared me to death

~Kathy and I used to love to wear your night gowns, they were really soft and pretty

~The story you told me about when you put Uncle Larry on the seat next to you because you didn't have car

  seats and he rolled right off on to the floor one time when I was buckling in the kids car seats

~You loved to go on picnics

~You ALWAYS had a puzzle going once you got a little older and couldn't do very much

~The smell of your house

~Watching fireworks last July in your yard

~The times I got to take you to Billings or Livingston for doctor appointments, you never wanted to ask

   because you thought it was an inconvience for me...it never was, I treasure those times

~ The way you looked when you held my babies after I brought them home from the hospital

~You wrote in your diary for years, I am so glad that we have that piece of you left forever

~You never threw anything away

~You wrote down every birthday and anniversary

~You never ate potatoes and bread at the same meal, I thought that it was for some medical reason

   and when I asked you it was because you gained so much weight when you were pregnant with Uncle    

   Larry and the doctor told you not to eat them together

~"Theres always room for jello"...i love jello to this day!

~ Fish sticks

~You had piles of books from the library, you gave them to me and when I was done and I gave them back

   to  you

~You wore lipstick everywhere and a while back you pulled over at four winds, Mitch and I were behind

   you and we stopped to see what was wrong and you were putting on your lipstick, you couldn't do it

   anymore while you were driving!

~Your beautiful long nails that you had painted all the time

~Your clip on earrings, Kathy and I wore them all the time

~How you looked in you Red Hat stuff

~You were always playing cards...sometimes I joked that you had more of a night life than me and you were

   in your 80's!

~The polar bear puzzle, you were about to throw it in the stove because you hadn't been able to get a piece

   in for days and Mitch walked in and put in 3 pieces just like that!

~You wanted to WIN...you were a bit of a poor sport...I think that is where I get it :)

~Playing old maid and go fish when I was little

~Fruit punch

~There are so many more memories, this list could go on and on...

I Will Treasure...

~All the birthdays

~All the trips to Billings and Livingston

~Knowing that the kids go to know you and spend time with you

~Being there with you during your last days

~Every picture that I have of you

~All the memories of you...Forever I will help Rylie and Wyatt get to know their Great Grandma Evelyn

  with stories, pictures, and one day they will read all about your life through your eyes

~Your words

~The time when you broke your ankle and I was pregnant with Rylie, you were staying with us and since

   I wasn't working we just hung out everyday...when 1:00 came, you looked at your program and I took

   my nap!

~How beautiful you were when I said goodbye to you for the last time

~I will treasure you Grandma, I love you...

This was taken at our Easter celebration in 2010, just 8 days before Grandma

had her stroke.  Our time with our loved ones pass so quickly,

if I learned anything it is to cherish everyday, every person, every sunset, sunrise,everything. 

Live everyday like it is your last

Love like you have never loved before

Dance like no one is watching

Laugh

Play with your kids in mud...you can always shower!

Give hugs, give kisses and most importantly,

If you love someone tell them now, today, as soon as you see them

I love you Grandma and I will never forget you!