Thankful for Grandma's Socks

Today I'm wearing my grandma's socks. My aunt Jeanne thoughtfully offered them to me after Grandma unexpectedly left us for heaven in February. I also inherited several chicken-themed items: chicken candlesticks and a rooster that sits on a shelf. These funny little items bring her to mind frequently.

This year I'm thankful for my memories with both my grandmothers. We lost them both this year (neither from Covid). I'm thankful for the time I had with them, and I think of all my grandparents more often than one would realize. I'm thankful I drove to Ohio to hand make my wedding invitations with Grandma B. I'm thankful that Mom and my sisters went back to Ohio a couple summers ago to visit her one more time. I'm thankful for little funny stories that I can tell my kids, like how when we took Grandma B out of her assisted living home for a Walmart run. She zoomed around that store in one of those scooters like a boss, unashamedly choosing Twinkies and Swiss Rolls and Oatmeal pies to secretly hoard in her room. I don't think she even ate them, but kept them to offer her guests. Plus, it was an act of rebellion. I mean, if you can't have 20 packs of Little Debbie cinnamon rolls hiding in your nightstand when you're 89, when can you? I knew when we left a couple days later that I was saying goodbye forever. I just had a feeling.

I was quite close with Grandma C. She and Grandpa moved to Delaware to be near us when I was a kid, and we were able to walk to their house for years. I lived with them for a while in college. Later, when Mom and Dad moved to Southern Maryland, they moved too, again within walking distance from my parents' house. My kids loved crossing the creek through the woods to GG and GP's house. Grandpa left us a few years ago, but Grandma was always there, with cold YooHoo's for the kids in the fridge. My kids still talk about those YooHoo's. 

Both Grandmas softened in their older years. They'd grown up poor and were tough and resilient.  They'd had various struggles and trials through the years, as everyone does. It was a different generation, though. They were so much less pampered than the world is now. This gave them a sometimes tough exterior, but over the years I got to see more smiles and softness. Grandma C delighted in her 'greats' and adored my boys. She was always happy for our visits. I'm so sad that she didn't get to meet Nathanael. The last time we spoke, she called me on my birthday. I was miserably sick with mastitis and ignored several messages that day, but I took her call. She was so sympathetic. "Ugh, I had that. It's just awful! I'm sure your whole body is aching. Feel better honey." It somehow comforted me to know that 60+ years ago, she'd been through the same pain. I promised to bring the baby soon for a visit. Then, a few weeks later, she was gone.

And so today, our first major holiday without any living grandparents (but with 3 new lives that have joined the family this year! New life!), I'm thinking about these ladies and missing them. I'm grateful that I have these good memories to share.

Happy Thanksgiving