Remembering My Grandma

(The pictures with lots of people in, you'll have to click on to see better
If I make them big like the rest, people are cut off)
My grandma's wake is tonight.
Her funeral Mass is tomorrow.
My mom's family lives in California
(except one brother that married my dad's sister and lives here)
My grandma had 6 kids, was widowed when the youngest was only 8
She worked for many many years at May Company
(a California Macy type department store)
Most of my pictures are from when I was older,
because that's when I had a camera!
They are also almost all from vacations because of the distance.

My  mom has 3 older brothers,
 and one little brother and sister
Here she is holding my first born baby,
sitting with her 9mos older brother Larry
(he's the one who lives here in MN)
and Grandma
Uncle Steve is standing
He always teases that he's Grandma's favorite child.
(11 years ago)

Here's another photo showing

3 of my  mom's brothers-aren't they handsome?

This was 1992

Larry, Steve, and Richard

Here she is with my mom, my sister Brenna and myself

My 2 Grandma's, they always got along great.

They are just a few months apart in age.

This was May of 1991

Nice Jordan!
(this is my little brother that just got married!)
 I think this was 1993, we were headed to the Minnesota State Fair!

 Here's Grandma with her Minnesota grandchildren, plus Michael and Tom

(the two upper right boys) who are from California
This was 1997 right before her 1st Great Grandchild was born
(my brother's daughter)

 Richard, Mike, the baby brother, isn't he handsome? Grandma, mom and Larry

 Mom and Grandma

Proof that Diet Coke does not kill

My grandma lived to be in her 90's.
(click on picture, Diet Coke in lower right corner of picture)

 My mom's little sister!! Kathy, Oh, I love her so much!! 

She has taken care of my grandma for the last over 4 years.

Her love and sacrifice is not forgotten and we are so thankful for her devotion

I'm sure it was not easy, but done with love

 I love this photo

my 2 grandma's, with my grandpa (who is now in heaven)

peeking, smiling behind!  

Now, they would call that photobombing, I think!

1997

I have to share some of my favorite memories of Grandma Foster. 

 When I think of her, I smile and can only think of good things.

 She was loving and fun to be around.

 Her oldest daughter is my mother.

 The first daughter born into the Foster family for like 100 years or something,

 so you can imagine how Grandma must have felt

 when she met a handsome young marine,

 named Jim, and quickly fell in love,

 married and whisked her off to Minnesota. 

 Grandma, being widowed as a young woman, 

with 6 children, she was no stranger to sacrifice.

 Growing up, we moved from Minnesota to California several times.

 This was not easy for us kids, but turned out to be a blessing.

 The blessing is in the time we were able to spend with Grandma. 

 We also vacationed many times to visit her and other precious family near her. 

 She vacationed to Minnesota

 to visit her Minnesota children and grandchildren every few years.

 (her son, Larry visited his "little" sister in Minnesota and ended up falling in love
 with her sister- in -law
 and so Grandma lost another child to the cold tundra)

 Because of the cold weather in Minnesota,

 Grandma almost always came in August,

 a promise of hot, humid weather for her warm bones,

 still, she almost always wore a sweater and froze here.

 (the day we moved back to Minnesota, the day after my high school graduation)

(us 4 kids with Grandma)

 When I think of Grandma,

 I think of the times I stayed with her and shared her bedroom,

 her in her curlers, night hat and face cream.

 I think of Grandma jammies 

(I think my mom wears those now)

 I think of late night giggles before falling asleep.

 I remember her smell. 

 A sweet, fragrant smell a little girl will remember forever.

 I remember making homemade noodles with her and talking about frozen milk

 (she'd freeze for us to have when visiting)

 and plants on her back patio-deck. 

 I remember the ice cream truck singing in her neighborhood every afternoon.

 I remember how she talked with her Missouri accent

 and how I loved to just sit and listen to her.

 Her laugh was infectious and made you want to sit with her just to enjoy her company. 

 She always called me "Kathy" or "Connie" but I didn't mind,

 I have since, found out that that is hereditary,

 especially when you have 6 kids!!

 She was always working on something she could make to give away.

 Beautiful afghans and Christmas decorations. 

 Beautiful crosses, necklaces, address book covers, she was always giving. 

  Her letters, I will always remember her beautiful letters.

 We have been pen pals since the first time I was able to write. 

Every time I WASH something,

 I will think of how she pronounced it "Warsh"

 and smile...so now laundry and dishes will become a little sweeter

 because of Grandma Foster.

 I miss and love you Grandma.

 Thank you for all you've been to me