Memorial Day...sigh...a holiday! I love any extra day that Rasty gets to stay home from work, but there's more to this holiday than hot dogs and burgers...I was caught off guard this weekend as I was running all over the valley trying to price dishwashers to save a few bucks...not worth it! If anything good came from driving to every appliance store in the county was that I was able to listen to talk radio, yes I have slowly evolved into my parents, KSL radio has actually kept me sane from the squawking kids in the back, I get to hear proper English and the radio never says, "Why does...?" and "Look at...!" and " Where is...?" Not that I don't like to here all the kids innocent and brilliant question where 90% of the answers are, "you should ask dad, he knows" because I have no idea why cows like to sit all day and not play with their friends. Anyway, I got uninterrupted radio time and this women came on the radio show and said that she posts pictures on her blog of deceased ancestors and stories to pay tribute and remember them. I loved the idea! I hang these pictures in my home in hopes to spark conversation about these wonderful people that have greatly influenced my life and many more. I hope to pay proper tribute and learn much more about my ancestors through this endeavor! I had grandparents die when I was quite young and a grandfather I have never met, they will get their well deserved attention in the coming future, but Memorial Day is tomorrow and I am going to first pay tribute to my dear grandmother Margaret Gardner.
This lady was a beauty right? She has had the most influence on me, she was the only grandparent I truly remember. I have so many memories of going to her house in American Fork and her house had a very particular smell...I think all older people have this smell in their home, it's the same smell in antique stores. Their homes are filled with treasures, old china, artwork and artifacts past on to them from loved ones before. Anyway, the smell lingers still as I think about her home. She always had snacks in her cupboards that we never had at home. She had Kraft cheese, yes, gross american processed cheese slices that Annika will not even eat ( I bought it one time years back thinking I had bought them a special treat, that's how I remembered it, the girls wouldn't touch the stuff!). But it was special because we only ate it at grandma's and we would fold it in half and half again and again until we had a little pile of cheese and we would savor every little piece. We would pick raspberries in her yard and she would make YUMMY jam. The basement was filled with treasures and many hours were spent in creating plays, 'who-dunnit' mysteries, hide and seek and make believe. She would call our socks "stockings" and dinner "supper". She had a great laugh! I hear it now. It was very early one Christmas morning, maybe "4:30 or 5:00am and we were sooooo excited to go downstairs to see what Santa had left for us. All five kids gathered in the hall outside my parents door making some noise in an effort to wake up mom and dad, then here comes grandma from a bedroom, (she was widowed at this time and slept over on Christmas Eve often) and she initiated the making of a human train going up and down the hall yelling, " choo choo!" It was hilarious, I don't remember what I got from Santa that year, don't remember anything at all about that particular holiday, just good ol' grams chugging along with us in the wee hours of Christmas morning. I was still quite young when I knew her, but I do remember her attending my soccer and basketball games. It didn't mean much back then, but I appreciate now what this woman did and who she was. She was a mother. It makes no difference now or then, being a mother is hard and requires everything you can give some days. She raised 3 wonderful children, one being my father. I wish she was here now to learn how she did it, I need that motherly wisdom now more than ever. But I have no doubt in my mind my grandmothers are with me every step of the way cheering me on! Without knowing a lot about this woman and my grandpa, I know they taught the value of hard work, respect and most of all love. I hear story after story of how this couple served endlessly in their church callings and in their community. I hope people talk and admire my work here on this Earth as they talk about my grandparents, what a grand heritage I have. My parents were raised by amazing men and women and have stories to be heard, to teach us what they were all about. I am so grateful for my dreaded dishwasher hunt this weekend, this would have never been documented! So I pass the stick onto those that knew this woman and have a memory or story about her...I am honored to be her grand-daughter.
11 comments:
Wow Becky. That was was great. Thanks for taking the time to write that. We have the best family!
Thanks Becky! It's amazing the memories you help bring to the surface and the tears you brought to my eyes! We truly come from great "stock" Love ya Becks!
Becky, I love your picture collage on the wall and I also love that you took the time to post some of those pictures and memories here. Since having my own children it has dawned on me how quickly and easily these people and stories from our heritage can be lost if we don't pass them on. I think this is an important way of doing family history! What a treasure for your kids. Thanks for the inspiration!
--Mikelle
Becky,
Thank you for taking the time to write such a memorable tribute.
I remember I spent much time w grandma in her last months. I would sleep over and we would talk and talk. She really helped me through my dreaded days of depression.
Sometimes I would skip class in and go to grandmas. At those trying times for her, she still made me breakfast.
I was there at the hospital in the room when grandma passed away. Instead of a feeling of dread and sadness. It was very peaceful spiritual experience. Like a baby being born, being brought into life, the veil is thin. As grandma passed, the veil was so thin. I remember what sweet feeling that was.
I remember each grandparent and there love and wisdom. And also, the wonderful stories mom has shared about grandpa Pearson. I can't wait to meet him.
I miss my family and love you guys very much. We will see you very soon.
Love, Sarah
Love the post,
I remember more than anything at grandma's house is that she always had neopolitan ice cream, I love the stuff! I also remember how she had a computer with Carmen San Diego, and the little photo viewers that we weren't supposed to touch but we did anyways ha, I remember her little santa clause doll that would sing "Santa is coming to town" and then ring his bell. I remember her jungle gym in the back that always had some kind of bee's nest on it somewhere, and I especially loved when I was able to sleep over at grandma's house, it was like a reward. But like you said, Grandma was at every birthday, every Christmas, and every holiday, her tragic fall was on father's day coming to visit us because she never missed a holiday, she was a dedicated grandma. Lately I have been converting all our vhs movies to digital format so I have been able to see grandma playing with all us grandkids doing her signature laugh like you said. She was a great lady and I miss her and I can't wait to see her and meet grandpa R.G. someday.
I got confused with your poet Tyler, I was wondering if I had a long lost cousin named Emily Love! I remember all that...I hated the bees! Hope married life is just wonderful and we need to see you soon.
So I tried posting twice before, but this site must not like me...but I inherited Grandmas stubborn streak so I am determined to let everyone know just what an amazing woman she was and the influence she continues to have...
When I think of Grandma, I think of the word "Home". You were always home at grandma's house and everything was always better at Grandma's house. Like Becky said, there was always cheese squares, and sugared cereal, and strawberry milk and and endless supply of popcicles and ice cream and soda. And who can forget Postum...I remember that I always wanted to try it but grandma would always tell me that was the breakfast drink for adults. The summer I was 8, Sharon and I were lucky enough to go spend a week with them on our own and one morning I was helping her make it for Grandpa and herself. I must have slowly worn her down with all my persistence, because when I asked her again she finally gave in and let me have a little, and she even put it in a little tea cup (one of the real glass ones) and showed me how to put the sugar and cream in it to make it bearable and showed me how to hold the tea cup properly. I remember feeling so grown up and special...
Years later when I was at BYU my first year, I didn't have a car and I would get a little homesick on occasion. Grandma must have sensed that because that is always when she would call and come to go shopping or to lunch or to a movie. She made Provo home for me. Later when I had a car and Grandma couldn't get around as much, I would go to her house when I was feeling lonely or homesick and she would always have a special quilt waiting to wrap me up in, and she would make me strawberry milk and we would sit and look at photo albums or she would hum me old songs. She would claim that her voice wasn't as good as it used to be, but it was always beautiful to me. And once again I was home.
There isn't a day that goes by that I am not reminded of her. I am lucky to be the daughter of her daughter, a continual reminder of the love an influence that grandma had. I see it in the looks and mannerisms of my mother, the recipes that she makes, the way that she makes strawberry milk for her grandkids now. She is creating the same sense of home for them that Grandma created for us.
Today as I was at Chances grave, I was thinking about Grandma and I thought about her taking care of little Chance...wrapping him up in a blanket and making strawberry milk for him...singing him lullabies and telling him stories about his dad and his family....and letting him know the home that he had to look forward too...
That circle continues...we love you and miss you grandma.
So many great memories of Grandma G. I don't even know where to begin. I definitely do remember that cheese and folding it into 16 squares. I remember the excitement of going to ask her, "Grandma, can we have a piece of cheese?" I would wait in suspense for her answer. She would say, yes, of course and our excitment would soar as we raced to the fridge. I remember having sleepovers and sleeping in the bedroom across from the hall and how she had a bagillion reader's digests in that headboard. We would spend hours reading "Drama in Real Life". I remember the Heiners who lived next door and thinking that they must be really jealous that she was OUR Grandma. :). I miss her and wish Bekah could have met her. She was so great.
Tyler, I do remember the computer as well. Carmen San Diego and Wheel of Fortune. Fun times.
We'll Becky, it seems as if you've started something here! After reading these posts it really brought many memories to the surface and I have to add some memories before they fleet my mind. Sometimes you don't think you remember things and until your memory is jogged you fear they are gone forever. First of all I have to add my witness to the Strawberry Milk! I think the reason it was so memorable is that it seemed no one else in the whole entire world except Grandma and Grandpa even had it. It was this special elixir only found in their house. To this day the smell of the strawberry powder sends me back 25+ years. I was just telling Eddie the other day how I would get the special strawberry milk at my Grandma's house and he thought that was so cool! I remember her being there for every birthday, holiday, sporting event, etc. She never forgot to send a card on special events or anything important in your life. I remember her bulletin board of all her grandkids latest school pictures in the TV Room and how proud she was of each one. I remember playing in the office in the basement with the cousins playing dress up and good guy/bad guy. Ping pong and the dress up chest! Backyard time that included catching caterpillars on the milkweeds and pollywogs in the ditch. Carmen San Diego and Family Feud on the computer. The samurai swords in the office. I could keep going and going. Grandma's most endearing memory to me wasn't a particular moment, but how she made me feel when I was with her. She made me feel like I was the most important thing in the universe!
Last, but not least...who can forget her memorable exclamation of "GRAB!" LOL.
Your dear Grandma is looking down on her grandkids with many smiles. Thanks to Becky and all of you for sharing these special memories. What a great family!Proud of all of you.
Love Dad/Uncle D.R.
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