A Jitterbug in Heaven

I recieved some very sad news this evening.  My Grandma Mary has gone to be with the Lord.  She was my step-grandma, but she will always be just "Grandma Mary" to me.  She immediately accepted me, Jamie and Jeremy into her family just as if we were her natural grandkids when my mom and Brad married.  I remember the first time I spoke with her on the phone, I said, "Is this Grandma Mary?"  and she replied, "Yes!  Who is this?  Jared?"

I remember having our Easter dinner at Grandma Mary's, and we would eat cold ham sandwiches from The Honey Baked Ham Company with perfectly buttery rolls.  At first I wasn't too sure about cold ham, but it grew on me.  
 
I remember that each birthday, she would give us one dollar for every year we were celebrating, and each of the one dollar bills were perfectly crisp and new, and sequencially numbered from 1 to whatever age we happened to be that year(I couldn't wait to be 100..).  She would wait at the bank or at King Soopers and specifically insist the numbers were in order!  She did that for all of her grandchildren. 

I remember when I was learning to swing dance in high school Grandma Mary said, "You know, I used to be quite the jitterbug when I was your age!  We used to do something called the Minneapolis stomp!"  And then she commenced to show me and my sister how it was done.  She was in her late 70's at the time. 

I remember that every present she wrapped was PERFECT.  There was no tape showing anywhere, and the patterns always matched up so you really didn't want to open it, but you really did, and it almost seemed like a shame to waste such a beautiful present... and I would aspire to wrap my presents just as perfect(never with such perfect results)!  Also, at every birthday celebration with Grandma Mary, there was the obligatory "cake picture" with us holding the cake up and smiling so Grandma could get a good shot. 

I remember when I was a boy she was shopping at the grocery store and noticed someone with a cart full of cake mixes.  She asked what all the cake was for, and the person flashed a nametag from a local cake shop!  Grandma went home and immediately called her friend, who called the cake shop and asked, "Are all of your cakes made from scratch?"  When the shop owner replied, "Oh, yes.  Of course."  Grandma and her friend both had a good laugh.
 
Even after we moved to Australia, I always knew she was thinking of me and my family.  When I spoke with her at my brother's wedding this past summer, she said, "I have your calendar up at my house!  I love looking at your family and your beautiful children." and she gave me a hug.  That was the last time I got to see Grandma and talk to her.  Grandma Mary was a blessing to me and our family.  She brought joy and laughter to our lives, through her quirky personality and great style, as well as her love for us... and mischeivous personality.  She will forever be loved and missed.  I can just see her in heaven taking Grandpa Dale by the hand and doing the Minneapolis Stomp!