My Grandma - Mary Ellen

This is Mary Ellen Peirick.

My Grandma.

 I know I wrote about her before -- probably around my birthday -- I think when she turned 90, but this evening I could not find that blog post.

Monday we got an email, she was having some trouble.
Tuesday the decision for Hospice.
She is 92.  They gave her oxygen and it seemed to help.
She began to eat again.
Today it is known, she has Pneumonia and again....we just don't know.
One of my brothers went to see her today and he said, she seemed in good spirits.
She has dementia and it is in its last stage -- she is not recognizing her daughters - the ones she sees daily and she has not remembered 'me' for some years now, but each visit I get -- I still feel like I did when I was a kid ....Grandma always seemed to make it better!

I have two videos on my phone of her talking and smiling.  I think I have watched them at least 10x this evening.  And then the flood of memories begin.


My earliest memory?     I remember being at her house after Kindergarten or maybe even before that, and being in the back seat of her maroon station wagon as she picked up my uncles from the Jr. High.

I remember going with her to Bacher's ....as she would deliver eggs.
I remember sitting on her basement steps and listening to her and my mom share the latest gossip and stuff and she would stand there at the table and buff her eggs.

I remember being little and being in the chicken coop and getting FREAKED out as Grandpa grabbed a chicken and chopped its head off - and then I had to help pull feathers.

I remember being laid out on her kitchen table.  I was 4.  I was on the back of my Uncle's bike and stuck my ankle into the spokes and I remember her standing over me with this BIG knife and my mom wrapping up my ankle as my Aunt picked me up and carried me to the car and the drive to the ER.

I remember bologna sandwiches at her cutting board with ketchup.

I remember walking up to her house while my dad was in the barn milking and going to the basement to use the bathroom or play in the toys.

I remember going upstairs in those rooms and being fascinated with ALL the closets and the STUFF that was in them.

I remember the little kids doll house/playroom upstairs that had a cardboard ceiling and we would write stuff on the walls  - or try to read what our uncles had placed there.

I remember taking naps up stairs with my Aunt -- she must of been babysitting me.

I LOVED the Easter Egg hunts when my Aunt Laurie would visit from Maryland and all the kids would be at Grandmas and I would pray that my dad would forget I was there and head home without me so I could stay and play with my 'city' cousins.    ( He did forget - once in awhile. )

I remember Grandma having an orchard and picking apples.
I remember her garden -- it was a MEGA Garden.  It had to be at least 100 yards long -- ok, well, maybe 45...

I remember siting with her outside on the porch and eating raw peas from the fields.

I remember her ironing.

I remember her sitting in that rocking chair with a baby on her lap.

I remember her hot dish....  I miss that.
I remember her Monster cookies and WARM applesauce.

I remember her teaching me how to make Christmas 'STAALLLIN'  and THAT is how she said it.
I remember how she would say , 'jur-nellly'...  'jur-nelly I would do this'.....

I remember her cooking.
I remember her house on a HOT summer day before A/C and how the shades would be pulled, the fans in the windows and it always smelled SO good.

I remember  visiting her and Grandpa in the summers after I had my own kids and the visits were always sweet.

I stayed at her house only a handful of times in my 47 years....the last time was in 2009.  My son and I stayed one night.  It was sweet.

I remember sitting with her in her basement and decorating some 8 gingerbread houses one Thanksgiving and we just chatted.

I remember her telling stories about the Boogie man.

There is SO much more -- really -- I am going to post this on our Family Page and pray that the other Grand kids share their memories .....

Lord -- I am so grateful and thankful that you have allowed me to learn MUCH from this women and  I pray that she sleeps well this eve.  May her home going be peaceful and full of love and if Your will would be Lord to let her stay here on earth a bit longer -- then I thank you and I will thank you ahead of time for our NEXT visit.  
Lord,  I am humbled.  Time is short. 
I don't believe I will have a legacy of some 60+ great grandchildren....but I pray that my life is impacting children...like my Grandma did to me....
I continue to pray I speak life into another child as I teach and love on my own nieces and nephews and grandchildren one day.  
Lord,  I pray YOUR glory is revealed.  Thank you - for this walk down memory lane.  Bless her this eve.  
And I pray for my Aunties ...who are 'feeling' the brunt of her care right now and making decisions...may they too - have peace beyond all understanding in this time.  In Jesus name, Amen.