My Dear Sweet Grandmommie,
Today, I made my bed. I even made the bed in the guest bedroom. Can you believe it?? I remember when I was young you insisted that I make my bed EVERY morning. My solution then was to sleep on top of my bed just so I wouldn't have to make it. I thought I was brilliant; You thought I had lost my mind. When I bought my first house a year and a half ago I started to make my bed everyday like you taught me. I'd call you and give you daily updates about me making my bed. You were so proud you mailed me a card with stickers to celebrate my accomplishment. It's the little things like that that you did that mean so much to me now. I still have the card and the stickers.
I can't think of an adequate way to express how much you mean to me and how grateful I am for the profound influence you've had on my life so far and no doubt will continue to have. One of the first things I learned from you was how important a strong work ethic is. You taught me this mostly by your example but also in more overt ways as well. For example, when I'd say something like, "Grandmommie! I can't go to school because I don't feel good!" You'd respond with, "Well, neither do I. Get up!" I didn't understand it then, but I definitley do now. You never left room for excuses. You knew how to get things done, whether you wanted to or not. If it needed to be done, it needed to be done. I always remember you saying, "Dianna, God helps those who help themselves!" And, that is exactly how you lived your life, from becoming a widow at a young age, working and raising five children alone, raising Jennifer, Jerry and I when you should've been enjoying retirement (retirement from work and retirement from raising kids), working at the school everyday until you were 75 to being taken off of the breathing machine only to start breathing on your own for two hours (even snoring) so that the entire family could be with you as you peacefully took your final breaths. I've never known anyone with as much strength, courage and resiliency as you and am confident that I never will.
Thank you for teaching me morals and values. Thank you for not only taking me to church but for making me behave in church. I'd beg to sit with my friends in church, thinking I would chat and pass notes. That kind of thinking landed me right next to you on the pew. When I acted a fool, you'd give me "the look" from across the sanctuary where you were sitting. Instantly I knew what it meant.....TORTURE......the next Sunday (or 12) I'd be sitting next to you. When I became an adult, sitting next to you in church became one of my favorite things to do.
Thank you for teaching me that just because people aren't blood related doesn't mean they aren't family. Most people would say one of the most admirable traits you had was how passionately you loved your family. I think differently. It's easy to love your family. To me, the most amazing thing about you is how easily and deeply you loved and accepted people who weren't your family. You touched so many lives in so many different ways: hemming pants, cooking food, babysitting, giving money (even when you didn't have it to give), encouragment and endless prayers. I believe that God is relational and that His love is manifest through people loving people. You, my sweet Grandmommie, were the hands and feet of Christ.
I have so much more to say to you but really just want you to know how much I love you and appreciate everything you've done for me. My entire life you've always told me that you loved me and were proud of me but over the last few months we've had some really good conversation about life and you've repeatedly reiterated how much you loved me and how special I am to you. I will treasure those conversations and those sweet words of love and encouragement always. I hope you know that I understood your value and worth, that I loved you and will always love you in a way that I love no one else. You have been my teacher, encourager, mentor, friend, and parent but most importantly my Grandmommie and for that my life has been significantly and profoundly changed for the better.
All my love,
Dianna
