My Gramma Phillips

35 years ago today, my Gramma Phillips died at the age of 79 after fighting cancer. Gramma was a huge influence on my life. She was a loving, hardworking women who always felt like she had to earn her keep to live with us. Grampa Phillips died one week before I was born, suddenly with little warning. My family was living in the apartment upstairs but moved to our own house the next year. When my dad learned that Gramma had basically stopped eating after we had moved to our home, he told my Mom to tell Gramma to pack her bags and move in with us. How many men have you heard about that insisted that their mother-in-law move in? From that moment on, Gramma took over most of the household "duties" so that my Mom could work up the road at the Elma Nursery. Gramma spoiled me rotten. When I got home from school my room was cleaned, my clothes put away, maybe fresh bread was baking in the oven when I walked in with homemade jelly or jam waiting to be spread on the bread as an after school snack. If there was one piece of pie left, she would save it for me. She was just that type of woman. Like I said, she spoiled me rotten. When she died, my world collapsed. As I mentioned in yesterday's blog, she died the day I came home from the hospital with my first baby, Nicole Caroline, Caroline being Gramma's middle name as well. Below is a picture of Gramma that I treasure. What a beautiful woman with a beautiful soul. Even after all these years tears come to my eyes to think of how much I miss her and how I regret my kids never got to know the woman that had such a huge impact on my life. I love you Gramma!

The second picture is one of the few pictures I have of my Gramma and Granpa Phillips. I like to call this picture "The Sweethearts". I never knew Granpa but have heard many stories about him and if I'm allowed a regret in my life, it's that I never got to meet him. I've often thought about the game where you are supposed to think of a few people you would have dinner with who were famous, living or dead. I have often thought I would like to have dinner with my Granpa just so I could find out for myself if he was the same man I heard so much about. It will be 55 years ago on March 23rd that Granpa died.