Monday, May 2, 2011

Violet...


Today is my grandmother's birthday.  Six years ago she laid down to take a nap and never woke up.  Just like that.  I was devastated.  She never really got over the death of my grandfather, and I think she was ready to go see him.  If you like a good love story, my aunt wrote about them awhile back... Smitten.  Violet (she was 40 when I was born and thought she was too young to be called "Grandma" until she turned 50, at which point I was not going to STOP calling her Violet... silly) was just about my favorite person in the entire world.  

She spoiled me rotten and we loved every single minute we ever spent together.  She taught me to drive (I think I was about 10 when she started letting me sit in her lap and steer... EEK!), to crochet (ok, I admittedly failed at the crocheting), taught my son how to sew and to garden.   She always had my favorite baked beans and peach cobbler ready and waiting for me, or a big bowl of her famous oatmeal.

As much as I miss her, it is never in a sad way.  When I think about her it is always about how she had to take off her glasses and wipe her eyes when she laughed because she would laugh so hard it would make her tear up... or how she would hide me from my daddy in the mornings so I could enjoy a big ol' lump of raw biscuit dough for breakfast (YUM)... or how she would "whip" her crazy little dog with an ENVELOPE (I'm sure he was VERY scared... NOT).   When I had kids, she was always worried about someone kidnapping them because "they are SO PRETTY, Sissy!"  I had to remind her they kidnap ugly babies, too...

We can all only hope to leave our children and grandchildren with as many happy thoughts and memories.  Even though we lost her MUCH too soon, the years we had with her will live with a smile in my heart forever.  It is the gift she left for me.  Happy Birthday Granny (the Granny part is courtesy of my kids) Violet!

Granny with her "pretty" great grandbabies

And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count.  It's the life in your years.
~Abraham Lincoln

11 comments:

SarahBeth said...

What a beautiful tribute -- she must have really been awesome.

Anonymous said...

Sissy,
Can't believe our one brain is at work again. Our stories are so similar.

Love you

Janet said...

Here's to Violet. So glad your memories of her are always happy ones.

Jordan said...

I'm sure she was amazing! :) She sounds like she was a wonderful person! Wow- a gramma at the age of 40... Awesome!

xoxo
Jordan <3

Melissa at bubbyandbean.com said...

What a lovely birthday tribute for a wonderful grandmother. Really sweet. Thanks for sharing those memories.

xo,
melissa

Annette said...

This is such a touching tribute to your grandmother! Sounds like she was just as beautiful on the inside as the outside!

Shelly said...

SO sweet!!! :) I am your newest follower from the finding new friends blog hop. I am tring to play catch up from the weekend! :) I am one of the hosts! Stopping by to say hi! Hope to see ya on all my blogs :) I have giveaways going on my my grocery game and my Fire butterfly Jewels blog! :)

http://myowngrocerygame.blogspot.com/

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Rachel J said...

aw, this is so sweet. My grandma was kinda young, too--she has us call her "Nana"

Lulu Grey said...

Aww - that is so sweet. She sounds like she was an amazing lady.

I miss my grandmothers so much. They have both been gone for so long and I feel like I never really got to know them.

Tess said...

This was so sweet to read, Violet was absolutely stunning and sounds like a wonderful person to have had in your life.

julie cavender said...

Such a great and touching story. She'll always live on in your memories! Happy Birthday, Violet!

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