There have been so many "this is probably it" moments throughout the last 7 years but she just kept going, and going, and going...she was like the energizer bunny. (Ha, that was really lame ;)) She cracks me up, one time some of my sisters and my parents were visiting her and they got on the subject about death and my sister asked, "Grandma, aren't you anxious to see grandpa again?" (my grandpa died about 21 years ago) my grandma's reply - "NO! He can wait! I'm not ready to leave." She was a very stubborn woman and not just because of her age. I loved that about her.
This time, my dad called me the Sunday before and said, "Grandma's nurse says that her body is shutting down and she suspects she will pass away this week.". So we made it out to Provo to visit her. It was a tender time we got to spend with her. She was bed bound at that point and I sat in a chair next to her bedside and just held her hand. She was more conscious than I expected she'd be. I was a wreck, just blubbering over her. I kept apologizing- who wants someone crying over them while they're on their way out of this world? I just didn't want to worry her. She just held my hand tight, smiled at me, and kept saying "I love you". I will cherish those last moments I had with her. It was also very sweet because Stockton was able to meet his great grandma before she left this world.
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| I'm so glad I was able to get this picture. She's probably mad we took it but I just wanted to remember this moment. |
When we were young, she would often watch my siblings and I while my parents worked if we were out of school for the Summer or if we were off track so we all grew very close to her. Some of my favorite memories of her are, when she would watch us in the winter time, we would get there super early and each of us would head straight to a heat vent and lay on it with a blanket over us for the first hour or so; I LOVED her home made pancakes, her grilled cheese (piece of bread with butter and cheese on it face up under the broiler) and chocolate milk for lunch; we would ALWAYS go to her house for cake and ice cream on Sundays and we got to play with our many cousins; I loved exploring in her backyard, it was lined with huge pine trees and was a decent size; my cousins and I loved putting on plays for her and she was so sweet to watch with enthusiasm at our silly acting; we would always beg for sleepovers at her house. She would tell us the best made up stories before bed about little T and the Hobihoys; she loved to pull loose teeth (weird quirk I guess...my other grandma used to pick scabs haha) she would pay us if we'd let her pull them; she used to trim our bangs which consisted of her slapping a piece of scotch tape across our bangs as a guide and cutting straight across; I loved sitting down beside her as she sat in her rocker and I'd put my head in her lap and she'd play with my hair or scratch my back; I loved listening to stories of her childhood.
Those are just a few of the many things I loved about my grandma. I will miss her terribly but I am so grateful to know that this is not the last time I will see my sweet grandma. I am grateful for the knowledge of the Gospel. She lived a great 98 years. I am so happy that she is now reunited with my grandpa and her mother and father.
Till we meet again. Love you grandma.
I wish I had pictures from when I was younger...I'm going to have to go see if I can dig some up at my parents house.
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| The Swensen cousins after the funeral. I think we are only missing 10 in this picture- one passed away many years ago and the others either went home before this picture or live out of town and weren't able to be there. There are 41 total cousins. |
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