November 8, 2013

• Grandma-ism

  1. One day Grandma out of the blue calls me up and asks if she can take me shopping. She used to take us girls shopping here and there when we were younger with no style and such. In other words - boy baggy clothes. So as an adult supporting myself, it took some humbling on my part and after some hesitation (and her convincing) I did say yes. She literally squealed. Again, so excited that I would allow her to do something for me. Are you kidding me? Grandma, you don't know how much of a blessing this will be to me. Go shopping and I'm not spending a dime. Do you see where the guilt inner struggle is (for me)? Maybe you don't but I try to accept other people blessing me a little faster than I would before...it really is a pride thing for me. I have a hard time letting others do things for me. Anyway, all of that to say, after we went...a week or so later she calls me up. We started talking about ArtPrize and Bethany Christian Services. At this point, my boss walks in and has something to tell me...she stands there as my grandma still on a roll, changes the topic into seeing a coat she wants me to look into finding. She saw an ad for one and thought it'd be perfect for me. "A red wool coat that will keep my legs and bunners warm." (Remember my boss is standing there and probably can hear it.) I said sure I'll look into it trying to hurry the conversation along. Later, I sent Grandma a link of one...a little different than the one I thought she was explaining. (I don't like long...what I call mafia coats. They don't look good on short people.) Her email response (go Grandma for replying) made me laugh out loud, "Perfect - Is it long enough to keep your bunners & legs warm? " It's exactly what she said on the phone but seeing bunners written out was a riot to me. Who says bunners?

  Yes, I think it will be long enough. I have short legs and a small bunner and don't really like really long coats.

  I can order it and you can pay me back if you want. You really don't have to buy it, you've already done sooo much!

  Yeh - It would be a privilege to purchase you a red winter coat that covers your little "bunners" - Let me know as soon as you need it. I love you, grandma

  The rest is kind of on a more serious note.

  My Grandparents are getting older and they talk about their own death more frequently. I really don't enjoy these conversations. Just thinking about one of their deaths makes tears begin to form and my heart start to hurt. It's not good and will definitely be a hard time when one and/or both of them are gone. They've lived great lives. I get that but it will still be hard.

  Now anytime they take a picture, Grandma's first comment is this could be the last picture with us. That wrenches my heart. That is what she said when I handed her a framed picture of this.

  I thought I wrote about this before but I can't find it. I wrote a little here about talking with Grandpa --

  This past March right before I started at RBC, I took a trip to Florida to visit my grandparents. In all honesty because I know there time is shorter and it may have been the last time I could get down there for a visit. I love sitting, talking and being with them. While in Florida, Grandma took me aside and very specifically told me, you know Grandpa and I trust you and Gabe (my brother) the most out of the grandkids. (I was a little shocked by that.) She kept going about how Grandpa just doesn't sit and talk to anyone like he does with you and Gabe. He and I both trust you very much.

  That meant a lot to me. A month or so after that, she told me some things which I knew she shouldn't have told me as it was still on the DL about other family members. She called me up and apologized, which I told her I didn't tell anyone. She said, I knew you wouldn't. During ArtPrize, we were sitting at dinner and she leans over to me and says, "I haven't told anyone this, not even Jim but can you be praying for me. I think I have cancer." Jim is a doctor which is the first person I'd think she'd tell. Her appointment was that Friday and of course, I would pray for her. I called and checked up with her after the appointment and she almost started crying because she was amazed I prayed like I said I would and that I'd follow up. Grandma, of course I will.

  I love those two - so much. My Grandma Sanderson just had surgery and the man she is married to is a complete jerk. Yes, he is my grandpa but I won't refer to him as that. Why? Because my Grandpa Wynalda is my Grandpa. A loving, caring man who takes time to be with us, pray for us and just show us he cares. I actually told him that the other day after I was stuck in a hospital room with my dad's dad...I told Grandpa W that the best thing my grandpa sanderson does is make me more thankful for him.

  • 10:26 am
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