you helped make me the woman I am today...
My grandmother was an amazing woman. She was a woman who changed my life and helped make me the woman I am today. When I was growing up, I was fortunate enough to get to see my grandmother almost every day. In all that time together, she made such an impression on me. She showed me so many things, and taught me so much about life. I have so many memories, that it is hard to just pick a few to share about her impact on my life.
She told me I could do anything I wanted. If I told her I wanted to be a veterinarian she would say things like, wouldn't that be fun to work with sweet animals all day. If I said I wanted to travel the world, she would say something like, how interesting to see so many different places. I told her once that I wanted to stay at home and be a mother, she said well you can do that, but you do so much more too. She never told me that I couldn't do something. She never discouraged, only encouraged.
She taught me to not be too scared to try new things. One of life's lessons that I still remember to this day, she taught me with salmon patties. When I was a little girl, I didn't like salmon patties. Grandma was fixing them for lunch one day. I took one look at them and decided this was not what I wanted to be eating. They looked odd. You couldn't really tell what was in them by an outward glance and so the unattractiveness of them made them unappealing to me. Grandma just kept right on cooking and made those salmon patties for lunch. As we sat down to eat, she put a small one on my plate. She looked at me and said, "try it." I looked at her with a timid, partially scared look. "These may not look delicious, but you may be surprised. Not everyone has the prettiest hair, face, or cloths, but their heart may be beautiful." So I took a bite of the salmon patty and realized, grandma was right. She used to love to tell this story and let everyone know that the next time she served salmon patties, I asked for the biggest one you got grandma. :) Those salmon patties weren't the best looking thing in the world, but they were delicious. Still to this day I try to not be too scared or skeptical to try new things.
She was constantly showing me how to cook. Grandma was an outstanding cook! She could fry chicken like no other, roll out some dumplins in the blink of an eye, and her peach cobbler with home made crust was superb. Those are my three favorite things she used to make for us. I can remember watching, time and time again while she cooked, and all the while telling myself I would be able to do this when I grew up. I would stand on a chair beside the stove and watch her, and help. I have dropped many dumplins into boiling broth in my childhood. :) And the amazing thing is, she never used recipes. She just knew. She knew how to cook and boy was she ever good at it! If you asked her how to make something she would use terms like a dab of this, or a little of that.
She showed me that family was important. Every Friday night, Nick and I would spend the night with them. We were quite young, and did tend to argue a bit then. Even though it probably wore her out every time, when Friday would come along, she would welcome us with open arms. Every year at Christmas Eve, she opened her house to the entire family. She would cook her specialties for the entire clan. She would always say how nice it was to have the family together and when you would leave she would say, "Come and see us again." It was clear that she loved to be around her family.
She taught me to be gracious. To know and give thanks to the Lord for all the blessings of the days that have come and are yet to come. She never went a day without thanking Jesus for something or giving him the glory for another day. She showed me true faith in the Lord throughout her entire life. I never saw her give up or just get down with everyday trials. Instead she always picked herself up, thanked the Lord for giving her the strength to do it, and went on. I find myself as I get older trying to be more like her when it comes to my faith. Constant and strong.
For the rest of my life I will have such wonderful memories of my grandmother. I will remember her kindness, and how hard she worked to have the best life she could. But most of all, I will remember her love. The way that she loved me, will touch my heart for the rest of my life. I wish I could put into words how special this woman made a little girl feel for 27 years of her life. I will take her with me through the rest of my life's journey in my heart. Thank you Jesus for giving me the blessing of having this woman as my grandmother.
She told me I could do anything I wanted. If I told her I wanted to be a veterinarian she would say things like, wouldn't that be fun to work with sweet animals all day. If I said I wanted to travel the world, she would say something like, how interesting to see so many different places. I told her once that I wanted to stay at home and be a mother, she said well you can do that, but you do so much more too. She never told me that I couldn't do something. She never discouraged, only encouraged.
She taught me to not be too scared to try new things. One of life's lessons that I still remember to this day, she taught me with salmon patties. When I was a little girl, I didn't like salmon patties. Grandma was fixing them for lunch one day. I took one look at them and decided this was not what I wanted to be eating. They looked odd. You couldn't really tell what was in them by an outward glance and so the unattractiveness of them made them unappealing to me. Grandma just kept right on cooking and made those salmon patties for lunch. As we sat down to eat, she put a small one on my plate. She looked at me and said, "try it." I looked at her with a timid, partially scared look. "These may not look delicious, but you may be surprised. Not everyone has the prettiest hair, face, or cloths, but their heart may be beautiful." So I took a bite of the salmon patty and realized, grandma was right. She used to love to tell this story and let everyone know that the next time she served salmon patties, I asked for the biggest one you got grandma. :) Those salmon patties weren't the best looking thing in the world, but they were delicious. Still to this day I try to not be too scared or skeptical to try new things.
She was constantly showing me how to cook. Grandma was an outstanding cook! She could fry chicken like no other, roll out some dumplins in the blink of an eye, and her peach cobbler with home made crust was superb. Those are my three favorite things she used to make for us. I can remember watching, time and time again while she cooked, and all the while telling myself I would be able to do this when I grew up. I would stand on a chair beside the stove and watch her, and help. I have dropped many dumplins into boiling broth in my childhood. :) And the amazing thing is, she never used recipes. She just knew. She knew how to cook and boy was she ever good at it! If you asked her how to make something she would use terms like a dab of this, or a little of that.
She showed me that family was important. Every Friday night, Nick and I would spend the night with them. We were quite young, and did tend to argue a bit then. Even though it probably wore her out every time, when Friday would come along, she would welcome us with open arms. Every year at Christmas Eve, she opened her house to the entire family. She would cook her specialties for the entire clan. She would always say how nice it was to have the family together and when you would leave she would say, "Come and see us again." It was clear that she loved to be around her family.
She taught me to be gracious. To know and give thanks to the Lord for all the blessings of the days that have come and are yet to come. She never went a day without thanking Jesus for something or giving him the glory for another day. She showed me true faith in the Lord throughout her entire life. I never saw her give up or just get down with everyday trials. Instead she always picked herself up, thanked the Lord for giving her the strength to do it, and went on. I find myself as I get older trying to be more like her when it comes to my faith. Constant and strong.
For the rest of my life I will have such wonderful memories of my grandmother. I will remember her kindness, and how hard she worked to have the best life she could. But most of all, I will remember her love. The way that she loved me, will touch my heart for the rest of my life. I wish I could put into words how special this woman made a little girl feel for 27 years of her life. I will take her with me through the rest of my life's journey in my heart. Thank you Jesus for giving me the blessing of having this woman as my grandmother.
Erin, what a tribute to your Grandma! I know she is very proud of the wonderful woman you have become! I love you!
ReplyDeleteLove you, Erin Leigh. Your Grandma was a great woman and I remember perfectly walking down to her house in the summer with you.
ReplyDeleteIt is never easy to lose a member of the family, but I know that it can be such a relief to know they are no longer in pain.
Thoughts and prayers are with you.
Erin, this is such a beautiful tribute to your Grandma, my dear Aunt Margaret. I smiled and cried as I read, remembering her delicious cooking. While we were only blessed with about one visit per year to see our Southern Illinois Aunts, Uncles and cousins, I still hold the same fondness for all of those dear ones.
ReplyDeletePraying for you and your family during this time, especially tomorrow. ♥