Hello everyone! I hope your holiday season has been filled with much laughter and love. I wish you all a great new year as we begin 2016.
Grandma... Oh man, where do I even begin? Grandma Jeanne was an incredible woman whose faith, love, and strength were limitless. She gave the biggest and warmest hugs I have ever received and she was always there when you walked in the door with such a grand smile and welcoming arms. I remember as a child, grandma's house was like going on vacation. There was always something going on at her house and there was never a dull moment. I think my favorite part of grandma's house was her candy drawer, that was always stocked with candy, and those vanilla, chocolate and strawberry waffle cookies. Mmm, my mouth waters just thinking about them! The holidays were always so much fun at grandma's house. I can remember all of us sitting around in the living room playing catch phrase and me not knowing what anything meant but still laughing and giggling with all of them family gathered around. There was no better way to spend the holidays than at grandma's house with all the love and joy surrounding us.
As I have been trying to thinking of different memories of grandma, the only ones that have really stuck out were fairly recent. As it is Sunday, I remember mom, dad and I picking up grandma to take her to church at Holy Spirit and every Sunday, and I mean EVERY Sunday, as we would drive by Schulte's Coffee House grandma would always mention how there were cars in that parking lot no matter what time of the day or what day of the week it was. And every time we would just agree and laugh about it because she said it every Sunday. Going along with the Sunday themed memories, every Sunday evening we would have dinner together as a family and mom would either call herself or ask one of us kids to call grandma and invite her to dinner that night. Her response to our question was alway, "No, you guys have had enough of me. You don't need to have any more of me in your way." We would tell her that we will be there later to get her and to not put one of her freezer dinners into the oven. And so later in the night one of us would go get her, either from the condo or the Highgate, and I remember anytime I would be the one to do it that I was in for a treat. After I picked her up, the car ride was the best part of it all. She would ask me multiple times, "So, how's school? Do you like Central? I'm so glad you are there and not CMR or GFH." It was then that I knew how proud my grandma really was of me. She may not have been able to attend many of my sporting events because she never knew what was going on, but she made sure to tell me that she was proud of me and who I have become thus far.
It is kind of difficult for me to believe that my grandma, who has been there for me for everything, will not be attending my high school graduation. She will not be there to give me one of her big, warm hugs on one of the biggest days of my life but I know that she will be there and that she will always be watching over me and the rest of my family.
Heaven gained one amazing angel and I am blessed to know that both my grandma and grandpa will be watching over me and protecting me. I love you so much grandma and I miss you everyday.

I love you all and again I hope you all have a fantastic year!
God bless you all,

Maddie