Soundtrack Sunday

My mind has been heavy with thoughts of my Grandmother this past week. Her birthday was the 6Th, and honestly? I miss her. She was an integral part of my life. I have more memories than not that include her and my Grandfather. They were wonderful people, who always had room in their hearts for whomever would come visit. They were simple people, good people, hard working people. They were, I am sure, not without their flaws; however, I only knew them as the perfect Grandparents that they were to me.

I remember going with my mother every year on my mothers birthday (the 16Th of December) to take my Grandmother a dozen roses. I would always ask her the same question "Why? Shouldn't Grandma be giving YOU flowers? It's your birthday..." She would always tell me the same thing... she wanted to say "Thank you for having me". She was the caboose, the last one to be born to a family that was poor and struggling. But, they had 1 more child-- My mother. And, my mother was very grateful that they decided to have that 1 last baby.

Grandma used to always tell me: "Motherboard, I was born in the depression and I've been depressed ever since." I didn't understand what she meant by that until I was much older. My Grandmother had led a hard life. She had a hard marriage, but she did the very best that she could with what she had been given. She had a testimony of the Savior and his Atonement. She loved the temple, and worked there for many years. She loved the scriptures-- I know this because she wrote me weekly while I was on my mission of her feelings about the scriptures. One of my most prized possessions is my Grandmothers scriptures. They mean the world to me.


She loved all of her grandchildren. All of us-- equally and the same. My sisters and I used to spend weeks in the summer with her, and she would tell us story after story of all the amazing things our cousins were doing. I could always tell how much she loved each of her Grandchildren, because whenever she talked about any of them... her eyes would light up!

Our family was a fractured family-- but my Grandparents loved us all the same. There were no favorites in their eyes-- just wonderful progeny that they had an intense love for, and a desire to know better.

Before she died, I had the opportunity to take care of her for 2 weeks. I flew out from Chicago with my little family to stay with her so that my Parents could go on a much needed vacation. Caring for an elderly parent is emotionally draining... and I am grateful that I could do that service not only for my Mom, but my Grandmother as well.

I remember helping her take a shower and her grabbing my hand, looking me in the eye, and saying: "Oh Motherboard, Thank you. Thank you. I never wanted to live long enough to have to have someone, especially my Granddaughter do this for me, but Thank you". It made me quite emotional, this caring for someone who used to care for me. The roles had reversed... and it was a humbling experience.

That was the last time I saw her alive-- those two weeks I cared for her. She died a couple of weeks later. Oh how grateful I am that I could have that time with her... and serve her one last time.