One of the most AMAZING women I know passed away this week, and although it was a good thing, as I have thought about her these last few days I realize how much I am going to miss her. My Grandma Toomer really was a remarkable women, she taught me alot and I only hope one day to be half of what she was!
She lived a great long life, she had just celebrated her 95th birthday a couple of weeks ago. The biggest lesson I learned from her was how to endure to the end! My grandpa died 23 years ago and I remember her saying that she kissed him goodbye and would see him in two years!! Well those two years were prolonged and although she missed him so much, she still made the most of the next 23 years. She wrote in her journal everyday and even after her third stroke paralyzed her right side, she taught herself at the age of 85 to write with her left hand because "the prophet told us we need to write in our journals."
I always was so excited when she would come and live with us for the summers, not just because she would mend all of my clothes and make bread, but because I just loved being with her and talking to her. We always had good times with her and she was always so positive and happy.
A few of my favorite memories...
I was probably 12 and it was a Sunday afternoon and we had just gotten home from church. As much as my mother always tried to make us stay in our Sunday clothes I never did. Well, I remember walking out of my bedroom and grandma was in the family room reading, so I stopped to talk to her. As I turned around I caught a glimpse of something black behind my back, well being the wimp that I am, it scared me so I screamed and starting running. I was running around and around in circles and this black thing was chasing me. Grandma was laughing so hard I thought she was going to die (although at the time I was angry she was laughing and not rescuing me from this black thing) I'm not lying here, but probably after three minutes of my running around in circles and screaming, grandma finally got control of herself and stood up and made me stop running. With a giggle in her voice she told me to look around. I trusted her and did, only to find that my black tights that I had just taken off were stuck in my pants and that is what had been chasing me. Oh my heck... we laughed for hours about that, and every time I saw her we always laughed about it. Even now as I am writing this, I am laughing hysterically remembering it!!
I also remember one summer she was visiting and we had this dog Gunner... and we had this big heavy piece of plywood across the top of our stairs to stop Gunner from going to unwanted places. I don't know whose idea it was to use a huge heavy piece of lumber but all I know is it was HEAVY. Well, I slide it over one day to get by and I lost my grip and it went flying to the bottom of the stairs where my grandma happened to just be starting up the stairs. I have never been so scared in my life... I saw it in slow motion. This huge piece of wood flying down right for her head. Well, it hit her square on and she fell. Of course I thought I had killed her, well of course I go running down to make sure she wasn't dead and although she was laying there a little dazed she just smiled at me and said... "Well... that would have been an interesting way to go!" She was always so kind and never angry, cause I don't know about you but if someone had dropped a huge piece of lumber on my head I don't think I would of been so kind and understanding!! Even in those moments, she taught me what it is to be truly christ like!
I could go on FOREVER talking about my wonderful grandma but I won't. I just hope that one day I will be brave enough and adventurous enough to skydive on my 80th birthday like her, that I will follow the prophet no matter what like her, that I will take the time to be kind to people like her, that I will love my kids and grandkids and great-grandkids with everything I have, like her. I just hope to be a little bit like her because that would mean I would be a pretty great women too!!
I know she is so happy to finally see the love of her life, my grandpa after 23 long years and the rest of her family. And although I miss her so much already, I am happy for her and know that I will see her again. And until I do, I will try my best to become like her!
LOVE YOU GRANDMA!!!!
