My Grandma

After my grandpa passed away when I was 10, my brother and I started spending a week or two in the summer with my grandma. These are memories I cherish and the time we have spent together has been so special to me.  When we first started visiting, it was all about being spoiled by my grandma. Most of my other cousins lived in the same town as my grandma so they got to see her more often. This was OUR time. Of course, we still spent most of the time with my cousins anyway. We went to the go-car track, played cards, and had water fights and bonfires. We went fishing and paddleboating and swimming at the lake. We ate junk fook and stayed up late. We also loaded up the Winebago RV and prayed it made it all the way to Valleyfair. When all of her grandkids were tired and ready to go homne, my grandma was the one saying to us "One More Time!!" as she wanted to go on the rollercoaster again.  She was and still is the FUN grandma. She also taught me how to do laundry and also how to make homemade bread and strawberry jam.

I can remember my grandma saying eventually the thrill of me visiting will wear off and once I got into high school I would be too cool to visit. I wasn't. Instead, I was able to drive my brother and I ourselves as we packed up our stuff for our annual week in the summer with Grams.

Then I can remember my grandma saying that once I was in college and working I would be too busy to visit her. I wasn't. Instead I took vacation from my jobs and planned my trip around breaks from school.

When I became engaged to be married, my grandma said to me, you are probably not going to visit anymore now that you will have a husband at home. I still did. He understood. After all, the first time Jon met my grandma I asked her what she thought of him because if she did not approve, I would have had to reconsider marrying him. Thankfully, he passed the test. Jon knows how special she is to me. Anyone who knows me well, does.

Fast forward a few years later when we decide to have children and my grandma says to me, I suppose you will not visit anymore after you have a baby. You will be even busier then. I still did; I just brought my little bundle with me while I was still on maternity leave. It was our first road trip together- just the two of us. It is important to me that my daughter spend time with her Great Grandma, with whom she was named after (my grandma, mom, daughter and I all share the middle name of Marie).

Grams & my daughter on a visit while on maternity leave

4 generations: Grams, me, and my mom with my little girl

I just got back from a long weekend with my grandma. She now realizes that I will be visiting every year. My trips have become a bit shorter; no longer the 2 week trips my brother and I took when we were younger. After all, my huabnd missed our little girl if she is gone for too long. And instead of being spoiled rotten by my grandma, she just spoils us with love and I try to help her out around the house and still do laundry. (I think the reason I don't mind laundry to this day is because I have fond memories of learning with her for the first time.) We play cards and she shares memories of her life growing up. We laugh and talk and enjoy each other's company.

Grams & I this past weekend in a giant leaf pile at her house

I have moved around a lot so my Grandma's house seems more like home than any other house or town I have lived in. She is one of the first people I want to call when I have exciting news and will listen to me when I am hurting or frustrated. She is giving and has a heart of gold. She is fun! She has been there for all my important moments: from winning the award for travelling the farthest to visit for Grandparent's Day to graduations and birthdays. She was there on my 21st birthday doing shots with us and visited my daughter right after she was born. She was there to cheer me on when I ran my first and only marathon and is waiting at the finish line each year when I skate the Northshore Inline Marathon.

I have always hoped for my daughter to have such a bond with her grandparents.

My little girl is lucky because she already does.

~Angela