Her Nana ‘isms’, as we always called them, are in my head daily:
On passing time:
“All I do is flip calendar sheets.”
On weather issues:
“Mother Nature – she’s the boss.”
“It’s raining cats and dogs and hammer handles.”
“It feels like a storm air.”
On taking naps:
“I’m not a daytime sleeper.”
On her morning routine:
“Brush your teeth and comb your hair and you’ll look like a millionaire.”
Nana loved Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy and she’s with me as I watch it almost every night.
Her recipes are ever present in our home –strawberry jam, hamburg BBQ, and frozen peaches.
When I see cupcakes, pastel dinner mints or peanut butter cups, I always think of Nana’s love for all things sweet. We used to joke about her ‘sweet tooth’, although all her teeth were dentures.
A friend of mine recently complimented me on the care I give by sending cards to others. I feel I got this trait from Nana who loved sending cards for all occasions. She appreciated getting ‘good mail’ and wanted others to feel that same joy.
I’m happy and proud that, during Nana’s life, we always celebrated her birthdays. Sometimes more than she wanted. Like her 75th Birthday where I orchestrated a surprise Birthday Party at a private room at the local mall. As it turns out, Nana is not a big fan of surprises. Although she was gracious and seemed to enjoy the festivities, she let me know she didn’t appreciate being surprised. I didn’t stop celebrating Nana’s birthdays, but I made sure to never again make them a surprise.
Last September, we did a Celebration of Life event to honor Nana during her birthday month. She would’ve loved that it was held in her church, St. John’s United Methodist, with her Pastor Mike Hill. She would’ve loved how we shared her stories. She would’ve loved hearing people sharing their stories about her. She would’ve loved the cupcakes we served decorated with her favorite color, blue. And yet, I think she was there, in spirit, loving it all with us that day. That day and every day, she’s with me. Until we meet again.
