Grandma's Gift

Confession: During my preteen and teenage years, I was very into Winnie the Pooh. Like crazy into it - my friends and I even chose Pooh nicknames for each other that we thought fit each other's personalities. We thought the characters were just adorable and we had quite the collection of stuffed animals. Plus, I worked for D.isney for a short time, and went to Dis.ney.land every year for band and choir concerts. We had a blast, and I was convinced that when I had a baby, they would have all things Pooh. (Okay, so I never claimed to be "cool"! I was a band/choir/drama girl...what do you expect??) :)

Well, completely unknown to me, my grandma made me something very special for my future nursery during my senior year of high school. She never told me about it, and only told my mom when she and my grandpa were headed to H.awaii for a vacation ("just in case" anything happened, she wanted someone to know where it was....very sweet, but I'm thinking that would be the least of our concerns if they didn't make it home!!).

My wonderful, amazing grandma passed away from lung cancer in November 2002. It was the day after Thanksgiving, just 12 short weeks after being diagnosed. She was an incredible woman. She was thoughtful, kind, kept an AMAZINGLY clean house (I am jealous at how good she was at that!), color coordinated EVERYTHING, saved EVERYTHING (I'm talking ironing ribbons from gifts to use them again...), and always treated my brother and I with so much love. We were her only grandkids and she loved on us so much. We spent so much time at their house growing up. We would spend the night, and she would always make homemade bread and strawberry jam. And applsauce cookies. Have you ever had an applesauce cookie? Simply amazing! We actually made her jam and canned it to give away in small sample sizes as wedding favors when we got married.

When we lost my grandma, I was in my senior year of college. I graduated just a few months later, and there was a hole there without her. She and my grandpa came to every single concert, performance and event that my brother and I had, and until my graduation, I can't remember a time when they weren't there.

Now they are both gone...we lost my grandpa this past October (see his post here). It is so heartbreaking for me to not have them here during this time. I miss them both so much...I still think of them so frequently.

Back to the topic at hand...on Mother's Day this year, my aunt and my mom had me come over early before the rest of the family. They presented me with the wall hanging that my grandma had made for me back during my senior year of high school. She put so much time into these characters, and I cannot wait to see them every day as I hold my precious daughter.






This gift was given to me along with a letter that Grandma had written to me on my 21st birthday. I had read the letter before, as it was part of a book my mom put together from all of the influential women in my life for my 21st birthday. My grandma had chosen to write about Motherhood. As you can see from her letter below, she was an amazing woman, and I am so honored to have something handmade by her hanging in my daughter's new bedroom.

Love you, Grandma. Thank you so much for your kind words and this incredible gift - I will never forget you.



Dear Heather,
Your mom suggested a long list of topics we could write about. I chose "Being a Mother" as I've had forty-some years experience! Needless to say, I've made my mistakes, as you will, but I've learned a lot along the way as you will too.

I would hope that when you marry you will wait until you and your husband have learned to live together before you have to learn to be a Mommy. It's a big responsibility and one that requires much effort.

When your children are young, read to them daily if possible. You may have only a few minutes during the day or at bedtime, but these are special along times with them. As they get older, let them read to you. It may be the same story over and over (until you have it memorized) but it will increase their desire to read and investigate new areas of learning.

From the day of birth throughout their childhood, keep your Baby Book up to date. The first few weeks or months you should set aside a few minutes each week to fill in the required information. You will be busy and it will be easy to "put it off", but remembering these things will be next to impossible a few weeks or months later. Also, take a lot of pictures (do I need to tell you?) and try to take as many of other children as you do the first~!

Keep a neat home. This will not only be appreciated by your husband, but without knowing it, your children will be aware and try to emulate your housekeeping skills as they become parents. You might be called a "neat freak", but it will be a term filled with love and admiration. (this paragraph cracks me up every time!! I only hope I can be half as good as she was at this!)

Learn your childrens' likes and dislikes. Don't wait until they are adults before you find out they don't like butter on their sandwiches!

I have no doubt that when the time comes, you will be a wonderful, loving, caring Mother as you have exhibited all these qualities as you have grown into an adult. Lastly, to be an exceptional parent you only have to look at the two who raised you. Their love and devotion to family is what it's all about.

All my love on your 21st birthday,
Grandma