grandma...

Today my sweet Grandma Davis passed away.

For the first 8 years of my life my grandma lived 2 blocks away from us. I saw her every single day. I spent countless hours playing at her house and in her yard. Even after we moved to Sandy we were pretty close with her. We would spend weeks at her house during the summer. In fact in 8th grade I lived with her for a whole semester. I have so many wonderful memories of her. I want to document just a few...

~Her hair was always perfectly styled. Perfectly. (and for anybody who knows me knows I have debilitating bedhead so this was extra amazing to me)

~She always had cookies. They weren't always the best tasting but they were always there. (soft & chewy maybe)

~I remember her kitchen. Macaroni and Cheese with hot dogs.

~Her laugh. I will always remember her laugh.

~We drove with her from Arizona to Utah once and every time we went down a hill she put her hands up and yelled "Wheeeeeheeee". I thought she was nuts. But I loved it.

~She would give us check books to play with. (it was one of the few times I have been good at balancing my checkbook)

~Salmon patties. Enough said...

~Christmas mornings. Sitting in the window waiting for Grandma and Grandpa to get there. When they pulled into the driveway it was almost better than Santa showing up.

~She loved me. I always knew it. Even when I wasn't the most lovable.

~She gave me my first job. I dusted her front room. She paid me a quarter. I know I wasn't her only employee but I like to think I was her favorite.

~When she moved into her condo her back yard was a zoo. Who wouldn't love a zoo in their grandma's back yard? (until I lived with her that is... then I realized how much noise those animals made)

~That crazy ticking thing she did with her mouth when she would talk to babies. They loved it.

~Good Gravy!

~She was tough. She told you what she thought. She didn't take any crap from anybody. Only now do I really appreciate this. I admire her toughness.

~There was a time when I was at a cross road. I needed to change a few things in my life. I went to visit her. Towards the end of our very casual visit she smiled at me, took my hands and said exactly what I needed to hear. Like she just knew. And she was right.

~She was strong in her faith. Despite the trials in her life. Maybe that is what made her stronger in her beliefs. Whatever the reason, she was a rock. She had a testimony and she loved her Lord.

~The last time I saw her was last summer. I got to spend so many precious hours with her. She didn't really remember who I was. One day I was there and I had Noah with me. One of the other ladies at the nursing home was admiring him. She was fiercely protective of my baby. She didn't want anyone scaring him. Fiercely protective. It made me love her even more. Because even if she couldn't remember my name she knew...

~She raised six kids. On her own. With no husband. No child support. Worked her fingers to the bone for her family. I greatly admire that.

~until we meet again...

I love you Grandma