Jean

I mention with sadness that my Grandmother passed away on April 25th. She was a wonderful beautiful soul and I loved her very very dearly! As a child I never went to daycare, I stayed with my grandparents during the day. She was like a mother to me. She will be greatly missed, but I am very happy she is at rest now. I visited her at the nursing home she was in a few nights before she passed and she was very restless. She looked sad and in pain and I truly feel she was ready to go to Heaven and be with my Papa (who was something of a favorite of mine). I held her hand and kissed her forehead and told her that I loved and missed her. She didn't really speak very much toward the end, but she looked me in the eyes and shook her head yes and I know that she was saying she missed and loved me too. I am so grateful to have had that moment with her and that I got to say goodbye.

Her name was Jean. I don't dare post her whole name, because she never liked it. She was very spiritual, very kind, nurturing, and a wonderful cook! She always had something in her cake stand on her dining room table. And no matter if you had just eaten, if you went to Grandma's you ate again! My favorite thing she made was fried squash (no body made it as good as she did!) and her French coconut pie. She knew how much I loved that pie and every time she was making one she ended up making a second one just for me! Loved that woman! I have all of her hand written recipes and I'd love to post a few on here and maybe even veganize (it's totally a word) a few someday.

I used to sit in Nana's lap while she would rock me to sleep, and as I got older I'd sit beside her on the couch and throw my legs over her lap and tell her all my troubles. She told me I'd never be too big to sit in her lap. And I guarantee I'd still be doing just that if I could! She used to sing me to sleep to songs like Frankie and Johnny (my favorite!), Two Little Orphans, & Froggie Went a Courtin. I wish very much I had recorded it.

She always had a way of comforting me. Of making everything seem all right. I knew that no matter how much I messed up Nana and Papa would always love me. It was pure, true, unconditional love. She called me her tender-heart (and occasionally pumpkin-eater). I learned so much from her. My only regret is that I there is still so much I wish I had learned from her. I wish she could have been at my wedding, known Charlie better, met Otis, and see the ranch! I know she would have loved it all!

I wanted to post this today on the 4th of July because this day makes me think of her. We have a big family. She had four sons, all of which have children, so I have lots of cousins. We'd always get together at her house on the 4th and have a cookout and homemade ice-cream. Nana made the best ice-cream!! We usually had chocolate and two ice cream makers full of vanilla (my fav). All of the guys would be on the deck watching the ice-cream to make sure it was just right and even turning some of the crank type ice-cream makers.  Nana would be inside mixing up a batch of ice-cream mixture in a huge metal bowl in her kitchen. Kids would be running around the yard. Then we'd all gather together and fill up our solo cups with as much ice-cream as it could hold. I miss those days, the days of my childhood. I have such wonderful memories and Nana had a big hand in those.

I miss you so very much Nana! But I am so glad you're at peace now! I love you a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck!