My Grandmother Rose, seen here surrounded by her great grandchildren, son and daughter in law passed away a week ago today. She was my last surviving grandparent and the one with whom I have been the closest. She was the one person I counted on for unconditional love. I disappointed her a time or two and she let me know when I did but she always loved me.Growing up we lived a long ways from her, most of my visits occurring at Christmas and occasionally in the summer. She taught me to like oatmeal by putting ice cream on it. One summer she determined that I should eat salad so she bought every kind of salad dressing in the store until she found one that I liked. Western dressing for those who are curious:). She never did convince me to like tea despite a serious effort on her part! She always played with me, even as an adult she loved games. Board games, my favorite of which was a game called bump. She was never afraid to sit on the floor or take me to the park.
She never talked about her faith but she lived it and breathed it. Never perfectly but I always knew it was important to her. Several years ago I began giving her devotional books for Christmas. She would add them to her stack and read every single one of them every morning!
She had Alzheimer's and really had not recognized me for a long time. Even though my parents had moved her closer the visits were few. She became ill about the same time we received our two little house guests and because of my husbands traveling, and every one's illnesses I had not been able to see her the entire month. I did not get to go to the hospital. When they moved her from the hospital not back to her apartment but into a skilled nursing facility I was not there. And then last Friday I went. She passed away that afternoon. I consider that timing a wonderful gift from God.
