Thursday, March 29, 2018

My Grandma Snow

My sweet Grandma Snow passed today. Being far from family while this has been happening has not been easy. (And harder still that Josh has been gone for training all month!) But one of the last things my Grandma told me, with strength and love in her eyes, was to "Be Brave." So through my many tears I've had that phrase running through my head constantly trying to make her proud by doing what she asked me to.

My Grandma Snow was one tough lady. You never had to guess what she was thinking- it was either all over her face or quickly escaping her mouth. Our family will forever giggle about the crazy things she used to say, often with a few expletives sprinkled in. But those silly sayings aren't the only thing we'll remember.

I'll remember her sitting peacefully at our kitchen table in Herndon enjoying her morning Diet Coke and a good book.

I'll remember her favorite snack was salt and vinegar chips- particularly the folded ones. So one day my Mom and I got a few bags of salt and vinegar chips and picked out all the folded ones and mailed them to Grandma to brighten her day. I'll never see a folded chip without thinking of her.

I'll remember her pretty porcelain dolls she had for each grandkid, mine being a little girl with a blankie- which was spot on since I had a blankie practically sewn to my side growing up. While visiting one summer she sat with me in front of the display case full of the dolls and convinced me to cut a piece off my precious blankie (which I hated to even have washed). She said we could put with my doll so if on a future visit I forgot my blankie I'd have a piece waiting for me at Grandmas. I guess I learned from a young age that you do what Grandma Snow asks you to do.

I'll remember calling Grandma and asking what she was doing and she'd respond, "Ohh just watching Law 'n' Arder."

I'll remember her somehow having the most pictures of me in her house and getting teased that I was the favorite grandkid.

I'll also remember her admitting to me that I was the favorite grandkid. (Even if she quickly followed it up by saying, "Each of my grandkids are my favorite!" She still said it.)

I'll remember visiting over Spring Break one year as a kid and seeing how close my cousin Chalisse was with Grandma. Chalisse would go over every morning before school and they would have breakfast together. I remember feeling jealous of the close relationship Chalisse had with Grandma. Only getting to see Grandma once a year meant that each visit we kind of had to get reacquainted. But then when I went to college 20 minutes away from her I took my chance to get close. I made it to every Sunday dinner I could and to any other family gathering. I remember dropping by one day and enjoying a Diet Coke at Grandma's kitchen table and just catching up. I will always treasure those years I was able to spend near my Grandma. And not just because it helped me to edge out my competition for favorite grandchild. ;)

I'll remember her grabbing each grandkid by the arms and shaking them saying, "Ohh I love you!"

I'll remember calling her after she met Josh for the first time at family dinner and her gushing about how much she loved him. She told me, "You know I'm a great judge of character and I think he is a good guy!" She kept repeating, "Annie, I really think you found a great one!"

I'll remember her looking over the enormous Cheesecake Factory menu and but then quickly putting it down to say, "I'm getting a chocolate milkshake for dinner." (Which also happened to be her last meal.)

I'll remember dropping by her house to pick something up and interrupting a club meeting. (Grandma got together regularly with ladies she had been friends with since grade school.) She had the tables set so nicely with her fancy tableware and I felt bad interrupting, but she was so excited to see me and even seemed so proud of introduce me to everyone. I loved feeling like she was proud of me.

I'll remember every family dinner Grandma pulling Sara and I aside to tell us there were cold Diet Cokes in the fridge and to help ourselves. She knew she had passed on the Diet Coke gene to us.

I'll remember her grabbing me before I left for Africa and her pleading with me to be safe. Then when I got home she said, "I'm sorry but I'm so happy you're not in Africa anymore."

I'll remember her dedication to temple attendance. Every Wednesday morning she and a friend would go to the first early morning session at the Provo temple.

I'll remember hearing stories of her being brave and a force to be reckoned with. I always will strive to be as strong as the Snow legacy she helped create. And like I learned when I was a kid, I'll do what she asked and "be brave."