Grandma's Funeral

I decided that I was going to try to say something at Grandma's funeral. I know that I will probably just start crying and not be able to get through it, but I wanted to say something. This woman is amazing, and there are not many people in the world like her. The following is what I typed up to say tomorrow.

Grandma Lester
I did not really have grandparents growing up. Three of mine died before I was born and my living grandma really did not have much interest in me. I have very few memories with her as a kid. At the time I did not think this was abnormal because I did not know any different. About 3 months after meeting Brandon he invited me back to Kansas City for the weekend. We had a very full weekend planned and in the midst of all the busyness Brandon said that he wanted to visit his grandparents. I have to be honest, my first thought was “why?” but I did not say anything. When we arrived at Grandma and Grandpa Lester’s house I remember the joy on their faces when they saw us coming. Not only where they happy to see Brandon, but they were happy to see me too, and they had never even met me. During the visit I could not help but smile at Grandma’s constant smiles and her contagious energy. She just kept saying to me “Thank you so much for dating Brandon.” She probably said that about 10 times, to the point when we got back in the car I turned to him and said “What is wrong with you that your grandmother has to thank me so many times for dating you?”

Over the past 8 years Grandma showed me what it was like to have a grandma. She accepted me from the very second she heard my name, and loved me ever since. I quickly started to understand why it was that Brandon desired so much to visit his grandparents, and it did not take long before I desired it too. Grandma always showed such great hospitality to us, serving up homemade pie, breads, and other goodies. And of course we never left her house without a zip lock baggie full of candy and cookies.

Just days before she died we went as a family to visit her. Monica and I went into her room and first thing she said was “I love you honey.” Throughout our stay there she kept going in and out of sleep, but every time she opened her eyes she looked right at us and she said “I love you.”
This will stick with me because I know that she meant it. She counted me as one of her own grandchildren. She accepted me without a question. She loved me with all her heart.

I have only knew Grandma for about 8 years but during that time for the first time in my life I knew what it was like to have a grandma. I will miss her greatly.