Crazy Wonderful Life: Grandma J.

This weekend we celebrated the life of an amazing woman, Grandma Jackson, who passed away last week. My grandma would have been 90 years old in October.

She wasn't the normal "older lady" though. I never heard her complain about anything (unless you doted on her too much...or if my dad told her she couldn't have a drink while we were out to eat).

She struggled throughout her life with her loss of eyesight, emphysema, and loss of two husbands. She was never defined by any of the above though because she was such a positive person. Some of my favorite memories were playing cards & games with her while she used her magnifying glass to see the numbers (somehow with her poor sight she was still able to catch me cheating). I remember she would sit 12 inches away from the TV and watch Christmas movies with us and bake us my favorite chocolate cornflake date cookies. One of her traditions was for each grandchild to swim out to the dock at our family cottage spring bank and she would give us $10 once we could do it. I remember her being so proud when we would accomplish this. (If you know my horrible swimming skills you wouldn't be surprised it took me until I was 10 years old to accomplish this feat).

I remember a fun night where my cousins band played at our family cottage. My grandma insisted on staying until the concert was over and then she happily piled into a car with some of her somewhat intoxicated grandchildren. I remember her laughing at Hans as he was sitting in her wheelchair in the van because we didn't have enough seats in the car. Hans forgot to put the brakes on in the wheel chair and pummeled forward into the seat ahead of him when my dad started the car. My grandma thought this was pretty hilarious.

I am most thankful my baby Nolan, her great-grandchild, was able to meet her- even though he will be too little to remember. She loved him and I remember her laughing a couple months ago when Nolan ripped her oxygen tube off her face and then drooled all over it. While I never got to meet my grandpa Jefferson I can just imagine how wonderful he was if my grandma fell in love with him. She was both beautiful on the inside and outside. She also gave me the gift of the most wonderful dad and for that I am forever grateful.

The Jefferson women! (minus Aunt Terry & Amy) This was the night of the wheelchair incident. :)