{One Year}

Well, it's been exactly one year since the passing of my Grammy. I seriously can't believe it was an entire year ago. So much has happened since then and I really wish she were here to experience some of the things she's missed. This is really for my own journaling purposes, but I wanted to compile a list of the things I remember most about her.

This is one of my favorite pictures of Grammy. Ryan showed up to my little sister's Halloween party dressed up as an old lady and nobody knew who it was, even me. He played the part so well because he came down the stairs walking super slow and was all hunched over, exactly like a real old lady would. Everyone got a kick out of it, but I think Grammy in particular loved it. She even requested we take her picture with Ryan to remember.
Another one of my favorite pictures because it was such a memorable day for our family. It was the birth of Mac, who is our first born son, the first born grandson, and the first born great grandson. Grammy came to the hospital with my mom and sister at 7 am and didn't leave until about 10 pm that day. The nurses kept telling them they couldn't wait in the hall, but, as usual, Grammy really didn't care what they said and kept poking her head in. One of the last things Grammy said to me was that she was going to meet our second born son before we did. I never in a million years thought that would be the case and was even upset at the time for her saying that. But she knew.

My other favorite memories about Grammy:
-going to the horse races and learning the "right way" to pick a horse
-picking out my wedding gown (it was the first one I put on and both her and my mother said "ok we're done, that's the one")
-Sunday breakfast at Orbitz
-the first time she watched Mac she put his diaper on backwards, which I find hilarious because she raised 5 kids of her own
-her trips to the DI and how she would re-sale many of the items on Ebay for a much higher price
-watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy at her apartment (as kids we hated this but as I grew older I didn't mind and would chirp in and play with her)
-birds (Grammy loved birds)
-soap (she collected soap, whether it was soap from a hotel, soap shaped as animals, or just plain old soap that she liked the smell of)
-Grammy loved watching Animal Planet
-her favorite saying was "they don't have a pot to piss in"
-she conveniently showed up to my parents house every weeknight around 5:00, which was exactly the time my mother would have dinner ready
-her and her sisters and brothers-in-law would go to Target cafe every Saturday to drink coffee and catch up on that week
-visiting Zions bank as kids (she worked there for like 40+ years or something)
-savings bonds (this was the infamous gift we got at Christmas as kids)
-her many superstitions (no shoes on the bed, you couldn't pick up a penny off the floor unless it was face up, black cats were bad luck if they crossed in front of you, etc.)
-and Wendover, oh Wendover. This was Grammy's favorite place and there were many trips out West with her and still are in remembrance of her. I have two particular times that are most memorable. When I turned 21 my parents, Ryan, Grammy, and I headed out there to celebrate. It was a night full of fun and Ryan, my dad, and I called it quits at about 4 am, but Grammy and my mom wanted to keep playing. Well, when we woke up at 9 am that morning to get showered and go get some breakfast, here comes Grammy and my mom just a giggling away! They hadn't even slept! I was out-partied by my Grandmother! The next favorite time would be for her last birthday that she was alive. My family rented the "fun bus" on a Sunday and we left early that morning. It was a surprise and she had no idea. She thought we were just going to our typical Sunday breakfast and when we pulled into the parking lot there was a bus with a sign that said "Janet's Fun Bus." The bus was filled with her family and close friends. We played bingo and drank mimosas on the ride out and then all day we just gambled away. I don't know if there will ever be another time when the black jack table consists completely of my family members.....well knowing my family I might rescind this comment...but you get the point. What a great time!

There are many more memories but these are the ones that stick out most in my mind.

Miss you Grammy. And I know I'm not the only one.