Tuesday, August 16, 2011

One Special K

Always happy, worried, and talking.
Complimenting my pretty dresses on Sunday.
Taking me to Wal-Mart to get my pictures taken, every time I was with her.
Humming that same "tune" while pushing me ever-so-slowly through Wal-Mart.
Promising me a dollar, for a home run in little league.
Standing proudly on the pew next to her during hymns.
Hearing her voice first at family gatherings.
Hearing her prayers at the reunions.
Her back tickles to put me asleep.
Singing in the van.
Taking an hour to drive across town.
Seeing her silloute at every event I ever was in.
Rounding that same familiar corner hill, at the Fair and seeing her in her chair outside the camper.
Seeing her snoozing on the grounds at a "show".
Seeing her snoozing, waiting up for me after the concerts at the fair.
Listening to her scoldings about the rules of the Fair.
Kissing her rough cheek goodbye every time I left her, & getting lipstick on mine.
Being the only Granddaughter, and K, and taking full advantage of it.
Getting a birthday card every year, with a reminder verse in it. Knowing she thoughtfully hand picked it.
Licking the tops of the pudding containers because it would be a shame to leave any left over.
Staying at her house, thinking she would stay awake all night to do dishes.
Watching her carefully open every gift and examine it, and thank you personally at Christmas.
Watching her proudly stand with her Grand kids every Christmas for that one picture.
Laughing thankfully at her "thoughtful" Christmas gifts.
Never getting that pair of Jellies from her.
Hearing her proudly tell everyone, about her 5 J's & her one special K.
Seeing her suffer but always keep a faith.
Saying goodbye several times, only for her to pull through again.
Feeling reliefe that she can be pain free and meet Jesus
Watching her make her goals each year.
Sitting on my Father's lap & completely losing myself as if I was 3 and had skinned my knee.
Watching my two brothers sob at her funeral.
Hearing my brother Jesse speak, only to have wished to tell her how much he loved her, at her funeral.
Singing "in the Garden" with my brother at her funeral.
Trying to hold in tears, to be "strong".
Watching Grandpa try to hide his tears for his LOVE of 61 years.
The smell of the rose from her casket.
Being 22 and just now losing a grandparent. 



This past week, I said goodbye to my Father's Mother, Grandma Joan.
These are things I will never forget about her.

I could go on and on, but describing the things a grandparent has done in your life is nearly impossible. Some of my earliest memories are of me going to church with Grandma. I give her allot of credit for my first interest in a faith and belief in God. I have almost been too busy to really sit down and think about her not being around, until I started writing this post. My Grandparents have been married 61 years, every year they camp at the Iowa State Fair. She passed the first day they got there, in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. She wouldn't have wanted it any other way. This weekend I will head to the fair as I do every year, I will walk impatiently down that ruggegedd dirt path to their camper and it will hit me like a ton of bricks that she won't be sitting there, watching people pass, waiting for us. We sang " In the Garden" at the funeral, sitting between my 2 sobbing brothers, we mumbled the words, and my mind wondered to her and Jesus, whom her life was built around, walking in the garden. God bless you Grandma, I will miss you more and more everyday, until we meet again. I will always be that one Special K.

Grandma Joan and I

Grandma's
5 Grandson's & 1 Granddaughter && (Jason, Jaroed, Jeff, Josh, Jesse, Kelsey...hence the special K)
5 Great Granddaughters & 1 Great Grandson. (Sydney, Jordyn, Peyton, Paige, Ellie, Mason) They kinda messed up the J and K thing! ;)

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