Grandma

 In early January, my Grandma passed away peacefully in her sleep. My mom had driven home from Taos in time to spend time with her and my Aunt Char and Uncle Mike had come in from Arkansas. She was surrounded by her children all that day. She was 94. 

I had such a wonderful and special relationship with my grandma. I grew up on her ranch next door to her house. When I used to "run away", I'd run up to her house and she'd make me snack and let me watch cartoons till I cooled off. I stayed with her whenever my parents needed a sitter. I made brownies with her while she courting my Gramp. She made all my clothes and gave me home permanents. She prepared candy for every Halloween so I could trick or treat on the ranch. We often swam together at the pool. I went to church with her. She threw the best Christmas cookie parties where we made huge messes and decorated cookies. She made fudge in every flavor, but I especially loved butterscotch. We all adored her "grandma biscuits" (straight out of the can!). She kept Marcie every summer and I spent so much time up there with her. She listened to all my middle school woes and was a mentor and confidant to me during that time. She saw every single show I was in, even after I moved away, flying to New York and Arizona and even Aruba to see me perform. She picked me up in college and drove me to visit Marcie and see the Albuquerque balloon festival.  We traveled together ALWAYS since I was a kid. Sometimes we shared a room. I remember in Italy we saw the famous painting where the lady strategically held a lemon and she re-created it. Her sense of humor cracked me up. We played cards! My favorite memory is when Michael cussed at her playing cards in Belize! It was hilarious! She was at the hospital when both my children were born. When we moved back to the ranch when the kids were babies we visited multiple times a week. We had ranch happy hour once a week, sharing our joys and concerns over a glass of wine. We went on a special Alaskan cruise just her, Gramp and my family. They took Ceillie when she got older and the kids were tiny. We traded paperbacks all the time and loved the same kind of fiction. When she and Gramp got older I made them dinner every night and took it over.  We helped pick her out Norway and brought him to her. I loved her fiercely and deeply and cannot imagine a life without her. Her guidance shaped and molded me and I am so, so, so lucky that both the kids and I got to grow up with her. I will miss her very much.