our holiday in spain: Grandma O.

Today marks four years since my beautiful Grandma passed away. In all honesty, losing her was so much more difficult than I ever imagined it would be. But with time comes relative healing and the ability to think of her and instantly smile instead of cry.

My family knows that we were incredibly blessed to have her in our lives for 69 years. Of course we wish we could have had her here forever. Instead of listing all the wonderful and unique qualities she had as my Grandma, I want to share some of the wonderful and unique memories I have of spending time with her.

Dear Grandma, some of best memories I have were filled with you:

Marcus and I flying alone to visit Tacoma for 2 weeks every summer

Going to the Commisary and getting to pick out whatever treats, food, and candy we wanted

Begging you and Grandpa to score my dives off your diving board, over and over

Eating the the local Mexican restaurant, you decided to say "How fast was she? Faster than SWOOSH!" and managed to spit Mexican rice all over me and my face. Then you laughed until you cried.

Not packing pajamas when we came to visit, because we would sleep and lounge all day in your t-shirts/nighties

Waking up to my favorite breakfasts, homemade and not

Watching you and Leona play Yahtzee, yelling and smoking

Playing Sorry, over and over

Eating popsicles after every dinner

Wandering around the Tacoma house and looking at all the little decoration and crafts everywhere

Listening to yours and Grandpa's stories about how poor you were at one point, and I always though you were joking/lying

Driving home from SeaTac with Grandpa in the little maroon Camry with the super soft seats, and you would be waiting outside in the driveway or on the porch stairs with all the animal figurines in the front yard

Believe it or not, getting slobber kisses each night before bed

Playing "burr-tickles" and scrating eachothers backs in bed - in a train and then we would all switch so it was fair

Listening to suspensful old-time radio stories in the bed

Watching Game Show Network and old movies with you in bed or on the couch

Hiding with Marcus once Grandpa got home from work

Tony Roma's...no explanation needed

The way you loved that stupid "Cheesburger" song

You would play "Heart and Soul" with me on the piano

And of course, you would always slip Marcus and I money as we left and told us "don't tell Grandpa"

You were simply, the best Grandma I could have ever hoped for.