Reflections in the Chaos: Grandma Fischer... What a blessing

This picture was taken just two weeks before Grandma left us...what a blessing to have seen her and heard her say she loves me and I got to hug her and say it back to her.

It's hard to put into words what it feels like to lose my grandma...in the last ten years I have only seen her a few times a year but prior to moving to Texas I saw her several times a month...for 36 years! I decided to include what I read at her memorial service...

Grandma Jean

As I think of Grandma so many memories flood my mind...I have had the blessing and honor of having a grandma for my whole life! Not only am I the first of 17 grandchildren but I kind of got to be the 7th child...having an aunt that was not quite one year older than me meant lots of sleepovers playdates hanging out and shared activities...i even had my own room at their house on Elm Street for a few years while I was in high school because I was there so much since Laurie and I went to the same school!

I think about the blessing of living most of my life in the same general area as my grandparents...as a child I spent nearly every Sunday at my grandparents house...do you remember the Jesus plate and the boot cup? Do you remember sitting at the dining room table on Elm street as the lucky kid who got to sit near grandma or grandpa...or the monthly birthday gatherings that happened as a result of so many aunts and uncles and cousins...I remember vividly being in the backyard with Kevin, Laurie, Brian...maybe even Rusty,Tony, Alyssa,Ryan and Matt...we were eating dinner or dessert out there playing tag up and down the steep hill...growing up together....how about the incredibly fun Christmas Eve's at Grandma and Grandpa's...the presents that filled the family room, the food that was delicious and the family that spent time with each other...most of us lived close enough to be together regularly and that is a rarity these days. I also remember the talent shows that grandma always wanted us to do...I can honestly say I probably had the least amount of talent but I probably bossed everyone around as the director...

A few personal things that will always remind me of grandma are...

- she is the first one who realized that I was born on 4567...she called my mom from work as sat and typed out classified ads thinking about her first grandchild being born on such a special day...to this day when I have to give my birthdate grandma often pops into my mind. Grandma paid attention to the details...

`I just found out that Grandma is the one who brought my name to my moms attention as names were being tossed around...and for that I am grateful that after all these years I still rarely run into another Dana but I sure do meet a lot of Kimberly's and Lisa's! Grandma was creative...

` A few weeks after my first date with Bill,(a blind date set up by Laurie) Grandma told me that she thought Bill McGraw was pretty special and should consider keeping him around because after all how many high school boys walk into their new girlfriends grandparents house and notice that the grandma needed help putting up the curtains that she had laid out on the kitchen table! Grandma was insightful...

-Grandma made her own dress for my wedding because she could not find the perfect dress to walk down the aisle alongside my Grandpa who was going to be dressed in a tuxedo...thankfully I have a photo to remind me of that sweet time! Grandma was resourceful...

-Grandma was at the hospital when three of my 5 kids were born and she could hardly wait to get her hands on her newest great grandchild...the smile Grandma always had holding one of my children as a newborn,baby and toddler will forever be etched in my heart....how special she made me feel always telling me that my kids were so precious...and that I was a good mom. Grandma was encouraging...

-Grandma was always so happy to have my company and I would say even thrilled to see me as I got older...now that could have been the pistachios and chocolate I would always bring...but even on my last visit with her just over two weeks ago her eyes popped wide open and the smile on her face told me how happy she was to see me...Grandma was loving...

Finally, Grandma was always ready for a laugh...and she knew how to laugh at herself...one time during a visit with her she feel asleep while I was talking with her and when she woke up she said "Ya know Daisy getting older ain't for sissies!" Grandma had a sense of humor!

As I say my final goodbyes to Grandma I am overwhelmed with gratitude to God for allowing me the privilege to have the best grandma on earth for 46 years. I am grateful that I was placed in this big crazy family and that long before any of us were more than a twinkle in a young couples eyes...they were praying and planning for us.I will see Grandma again in heaven but for now I get to think about the fact that she is up in heaven laughing, eating chocolate that is better than Fannie May and bragging about the kids and grandkids and great grandkids with my grandpa and other family members that have gone before her including my own son Patrick...that is a comforting,precious gift that I know will carry me through the coming days of learning to live life without her here on earth.

i love you Grandma...