I’ve also really enjoyed reading everybody’s memories and stories about Grandma and like Steph, I was struck by how so many of us can all have such a good and close relationship with her. I wasn’t very good about calling or writing to Grandma and we’ve lived far away since we got married, so I wouldn’t say that I thought I was the favorite grandchild, but I’ve always known that she loved me and have been particularly touched as she remembers all my kids at Christmas, or the times that she came to Maryland and Montana to visit and sat on the couch making hats for my kids and hot pads for me.
When my Grandma Shimizu died a couple weeks ago, we had no warning, but with Grandma Mano, we knew to pray for her for at least a few days. Talmage was particularly good about remember to pray that "Great Grandma Mano will get feeling better." On Friday, after she had passed away but before I told Talmage, he said another prayer for her. I told him that his prayer had been answered and that Grandma wasn’t feeling bad any more and got to be with Jesus now. A couple days later, I asked him what he remembered about Grandma Mano and he asked, "Which one? The one that’s dead or the one that’s with Jesus?" Needless to say, last night, we had a lesson on the Plan of Salvation for Family Home Evening. Anyway, once he knew who I was talking about, he said that his favorite memory of Grandma was that "She always made us stuff that we like, like my dinosaur pillow." I’m not sure why, but Cooper’s favorite memory of Grandma is going to pick her up at the hair salon down the street from my parents’ house. Whatever the memory, it’s a blessing to have them.
When my Grandma Shimizu died a couple weeks ago, we had no warning, but with Grandma Mano, we knew to pray for her for at least a few days. Talmage was particularly good about remember to pray that "Great Grandma Mano will get feeling better." On Friday, after she had passed away but before I told Talmage, he said another prayer for her. I told him that his prayer had been answered and that Grandma wasn’t feeling bad any more and got to be with Jesus now. A couple days later, I asked him what he remembered about Grandma Mano and he asked, "Which one? The one that’s dead or the one that’s with Jesus?" Needless to say, last night, we had a lesson on the Plan of Salvation for Family Home Evening. Anyway, once he knew who I was talking about, he said that his favorite memory of Grandma was that "She always made us stuff that we like, like my dinosaur pillow." I’m not sure why, but Cooper’s favorite memory of Grandma is going to pick her up at the hair salon down the street from my parents’ house. Whatever the memory, it’s a blessing to have them.
As I’ve read what everyone else wrote, I’ve thought about my own memories, but didn’t really feel like sending them out for you all to read because they are nothing new or different, and nothing in particular really stands out. I look around my house and see something in every room and in every closet that she made for us and remember her. Every time we decorate for Christmas, we’ll remember her. Every time I dry my hands in the kitchen on one of those towels that is crocheted at the top so it can button to my drawer handle, I remember her. Every time I look at my family, I’ll remember to love them a little better and a little more individually, because of her. When she came with my family to visit last July, she and I went to Enrichment Night together. I was Enrichment Leader at the time, a calling I didn’t particularly like, but I remember Grandma talking about how she was in the Nursery and loved it and I hope that any time I’m not happy in a calling, I will remember her and do better.
Anyway, obviously I changed my mind about sending out my feelings of Grandma. That’s because as I read Natalie’s, I thought that here was something else that had come full circle. I’m sure that the woman Natalie met coming out of the Provo Temple was Patti Collings, a statistics instructor at BYU. She was my first Stats teacher and a big reason I chose to major in it. Her husband, Bruce Collings, is a long-time friend of John’s family and also a BYU Statistics professor of mine, John’s, and Susan’s. Anyway, Patti used to talk often about Grandma and how impressed she was watching her learn to ride a bike. They were not companions, but I believe they were in the same apartment. She also talked about how the other, "young" sister missionaries had to work extra hard to keep up with Grandma. I’m sure Grandma had no idea that this sister missionary who was helping her learn to ride a bike would later meet at least two of her granddaughters and tell them what a neat, inspirational person she was.
It is truly amazing how many lives Grandma has touched. I feel so blessed to have known her and been loved by her.
Love, Tiffany
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