in memory

We found out this morning that my Grandma Woodstra passed away in her sleep last night. While death is never easy, I am able to find comfort in the fact that she was blessed with 93 years of life. A life that was full. Full of love, health, family, friends, smiles, tears, and laughter. A life blessed with an adoring husband, two sons, 5 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. A life ending here on Earth only to begin again in the arms of Jesus. I smile when I think that she can now reunite with my Grandpa who passed back in 1991. This is my comfort.

So as I sit, I remember. I am thankful to have such great memories. I am thankful that as the tears fall, a smile is quick to follow as I recall so many wonderful things about her. After all, that is what this is all about in the end. The memories, the love, the thoughts we can hold on to after our loved ones have gone. Here are just a few:

* "Who da comin?" our greeting as we made our way to her door
* Parmesan goldfish crackers
* Her stirrup pants
* xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo on the bottom of every birthday card
* a bright red or pink lipstick kiss on the envelope of every birthday card
* Sunday dinners - potroast, mashed potatoes, beans (slightly burnt), cauliflower with cheese, rolls and salad.
* M & M's when you walked in the door
* Her stories
- "Donnie and Dickie" stories
- stories about how her and my Grandpa met and their courtship
- the story of her severe sunburn as a child
- stories about her father who was a butcher
- the "No. No Dickie. No pecan roll" story
- the story of watching her boys wrestle and saying, "Donnie, one day he will be bigger than you" and her looking in, turning and walking away as that "one day" did come and Dickie took on his big brother. (and oh, can I understand this one!)
* Her fear of cats and later love for them (most likely due to the fact that she forgot just how much she disliked them :)
* Her sit down chat with me in 5th grade regarding my over use of hairspray
* Whiskey and Diet Coke...a little less Diet and a little more whiskey
* Her ability to make a lasting impression with each person she met
* Her love for Days of Our Lives
* Her singing
* Her ability to make her dentures fall down at random moments to scare the living daylight out of her grandchildren, especially myself. And her persistence to keep doing it once she realized how much it terrified me.
* Her ability to joke and roll with the punches (raising two boys myself I realize this becomes a mode of survival)
* Her love for shoes. She wore heels well into her 80's
* Her love of style. No granny clothes for her!
* Her hot fudge sundaes
* The way she grocery shopped. Up and down every aisle...no matter what and never hurried.
* How no matter what, she always managed to make too much food. It's a Woodstra thing. Better to have too much than not enough.

and finally, the way she would hold her grandchildren and later her great-grandchildren on her lap and run her hands down our cheeks or the tops of our hands to feel the softness of young skin. She would hold out her own hand, aged, full of sun spots, wrinkles, veins and compare her hand to ours. Hers a symbol of a life 93years long, full of love and memories all her own.












We love you!


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