My Little Life

Oh, my friends. Where do I start? The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of heartbreak and abundant love.   On September 26th, after fighting Myasthenia Gravis for so many years, my grandma left this earth...and took a piece of my heart with her. I miss her so much, but feel guilty for wishing she were still here as she had suffered and declined so much in the last few months, but oh, my heart. I have realized that I miss my healthy Gram. The Gram I used to cook with and laugh with and shop with and talk with. Her disease took the best of her and I am grateful she is no longer suffering, but nonetheless, my heart aches. The blessings in the midst of the heartache were beautiful, however. I was able to tell her goodbye and that I loved her so much, while she was still lucid. I never, ever want to forget her heartfelt reply, "Oh, I love you TOO much." My sweet Gram, I love you too much, too.   She taught me so much and I swear to you, every chi...

With all the snow/cold days that we've had, the schools have resorted to doing some creative shuffling of the schedule...which left me working on a day my Baby Girl had off from school. This day also happened to be my amazing Gram's birthday (her 82nd!)...good golly do I love that woman. I'm really not sure what I would do without her. (I love you Gram!!) Anyway, I was in need of someone to watch my sweet girl and I ran it past Gram and Gramp, who said they'd be delighted for Baby Girl to hang with them for the day! The thought of my girl spending the whole day at grandma and grandpa's brought with it a surge of sweet memories from my childhood...Saturdays spent at their house after CCD, advent calendars filled with treats, "boken oken" eggs (broken yolks), coffee and graham crackers, love, laughter...ahhhhhhh, here I am, walking down memory lane again! Such warm, loving memories of those days. Gram had it all planned out for my girl...they...

Today, my friends, my Gram celebrates her 81st birthday!! My Gram is one of the most important people in my life. She and I share a bond that I cherish and I hope someday that I will be able to experience a bond like this with a grandchild of my own. She's taught me what it really means to be a grandparent and I am so, so, SO very grateful for her! For the time she gives me. For the love she shows me. For the cooking she teaches me. For the relationship we have. I love you Gram, to the moon and back! Thank you for being you. 

Way back in December, in the midst of Christmas shopping and baking and wrapping and DIY bathroom remodels, I had many intentions of posting some cookies Gram and I made (I still will...someday). While I never got around to posting those recipes, I did realize how many warm, fuzzy, cookie-scented memories I have of my Gram. I remember Saturdays spent at their old house, Smurfs on the television, snow on the ground, and love in my heart. Advent calendars just for me, graham crackers dipped in coffee with Gramp, many hours spent on all fours scouting out which presents under the tree were mine...ahhhh, those were the days. The days when I showed up to Christmas and ate and unwrapped and enjoyed Christmas without the stress of being a grown-up. Anyway, being back in Gram's kitchen, in her warm, cozy kitchen with snow covering the ground outside and she and I inside chatting and baking...it brought back a flood of Christmas memories and made me yearn for the Christmas season to b...

This woman is: ...my Gram, ...like a second mother, ...a wonderful friend, ...the world's best cook, ...spunky, ...beautiful, ...a lady, ...wise, ...warm, ...incredibly loving, ...unbelievably important to me. I am blessed beyond words that she is mine. Happy Birthday Gram!!