On Wednesday July 1, 2009 our family lost someone who was and always will be so very dear to us all, my Grandmother Elaine Garner. My Grandmother was an amazing woman. She raised 8 of the best aunts and uncles a girl could hope for and 1 truly wonderful father. Although I am not a "blood relative" of the Garner's, Grandma never ever allowed me to feel as though I wasn't apart of the family and loved every bit as much as anyone else.
I have so many memories of my Grandma that have come flooding back to me over the last few days. I remember spending many weekends at the Garner's, snuggling in bed with Grandma and Grandpa in the morning (well usually it was just Grandma because Grandpa was long gone by the time the sun was up, usually) making cookies, going shopping, playing in the yard, attempting to learn cross stitching and crochet, learning how to play cards with the grown ups, and picking raspberries (how I loved those rows and rows of raspberries). And of course there were the many trips we took to the Liberty Cabin and the trips we took to California.
Grandma introduced me to my love of cooking, showing me how to properly measure the dry ingredients, the wet ingredients, how to sift flower and why, the difference between baking soda and baking powder and so much other cooking knowledge. She was always so patient with me while I learned and made messes.
Another thing I will always treasure was the effort she made to spend time with just me. I was the only grandchild for a few years and then by the time the other kids began to come along I was so much older and they were all boys - yuck! I'm not sure now how often it was but I'd say it was at least a few times a year, if not every couple of months, Grandma would pick me up and take me out for an afternoon of shopping. She loved to window shop! We would go down to Ogden Mall and wander around, always stopping by Sees Candy for chocoaltes, always going into one of the department stores (which one it was escapes me now) to oogle over the pretty china and always into the infants department to look at the little girl dresses. At the end of each shopping trip she would always tell me to pick out an outfit that I liked, of course I gladly obliged lol.
I remember one time being so frightened at the Cabin during a Thunderstorm. Grandma held me to comfort me and told me that the noise of the thunder was only Heavenly Father moving his furniture around and not to be afraid.
Very rarely did I ever see my Grandmother upset or angry. Usually the boys, my cousins and my brother, would test her patience and she had to lay down the law at times, but mostly Grandma was unbelievably patient with all of us. She always seemed happy, genuinely happy. I try every day to immolate her example and find patience and happiness in my life, only to feel that I have fallen short of her example, but it'll always be something I strive for. The picture of her in the swing, that smile on her face, that is how I will always remember her, happy and smiling.
She loved her Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren all so much. She would light up whenever she spent time with any of us. Somehow she seemed to remember each and every one of our birthdays, how she did that I'll never know because I have a hard enough time keeping my 2 of my 3 straight.
Grandma and Grandpa were an example to us of what a family is, what family means and what we should all strive for in our lives. I appreciate both of them for being such an example and for being such loving Grandparents to us all.
I will miss my grandma dearly, as I have missed grandpa dearly, but I carry both of them in my heart always and will always hear their words of wisdom and advice when I need it most.
