Grandmas

I am so thankful for my wonderful Grandmothers Nadine Farr Rasmussen and Lois Wilkey Larsen.  Such amazing examples of lives of faith, service, and optimism.   The love they have for us and confidence they feel in us is so apparent every time we see them.  I am grateful to the pride they have & show in me.  It makes me want to rise up and be my best self.  

My Grandma Larsen is someone who I value my time spent with her.  She is humble and patient.  She is loving.  But one thing special about Grandma Larsen is that she is "real".  She doesn't beat around the bush, she tells you things how they are or how she sees them.  I love talking with her because I feel like I can be open and honest with her without fear of being judged, "looked-down upon", or weird.  She loves me for me and is always there with a kind listening ear.  She knows she's getting older and has been cleaning, sorting, preparing her and her belongings for the time when she will join my Grandpa.  She's an example of someone who knows what needs to get done and gets right down to work to do it, without fear. 

I'll have to be honest, I don't have as many memories with my Grandma Ras as I had with Grandpa but looking back I know why.  Grandma Ras has led a life of service.  When we were together at family gatherings I never made a meal or a bed, or anything.  "Grandma, I'm on vacation!" as I so obliviously told her once when I was a little girl when she asked for help unloading the dishwasher(...I'm embarrassed to tell that little story).  I don't remember grandma because she was the one doing all those things.  Doing them so none of us had to.  Now that she is older and has Alzheimers I am getting to see a new grandma.  Its hard for me to watch but even now I get beautiful glimpses into "my grandma", the woman she truly use to be and I love it.  What a wonderful woman.