Memories of Grandma

My mom called me a couple hours ago to tell me that her mom had passed away. I have kept my hands and mind busy since then going through all the family photo albums. There are lots of pictures with Grandma Maughan in them, but I narrowed them down to fifteen that I think are a good representation of our times together.

Here I am at one month. Look how happy Grandma looks to be holding me! I guess these first few aren't exactly a memories of her, but pictures of time we spent together.
Here we are together a couple months later. Now I can smile, too, showing how happy I am to be with my grandma!
I love this picture. I'm 2 years old here, and Grandma is playing lincoln logs with me! What a special grandma, to take the time to get down on the floor and play with a two year old!
My grandparents' house is less than an hour from Disneyland, so every trip to their house included a trip there as well!
I've never noticed this picture before today. Look how happy I am to see Grandma! Seriously, seriously excited!
Grandma came to help when Miriam came along.
Grandma wasn't able to come right away when Danny was born because she was on a mission, but she came a little while later.
She came up from California for my baptism!
Spring of 1991 Grandma came up and we went to Mt. Rainier together. We stayed a night in a log cabin and spent some time hiking and looking at the beautiful scenery.
Here I am almost ten years old. I sure love my grandma!
Another one of many trips to Disneyland. In later years my dad would push Grandma around in a rented wheelchair. It was partly for her benefit, partly to get to go to the front of the lines! And she was such a good grandma, going on all the wild rides with us so we could use the wheelchair entrance!
Here we are, me a couple months pregnant with David. Ryan is one month old, and Great-Grandma Maughan patiently holding him in the only position that made him comfortable.
Here is Katy on her blessing day, clearly very relaxed in the arms of her great-grandmother!
Four generations of women, the only one with Grandma. My grandparents have 15 great-great-grandkids at this point, and only 2 of them are girls! The other girl is through a grandson, so it isn't a women line like this one.

We went out to lunch with Grandma & Grandpa just two weeks ago on January 28th. I forgot my camera that day, darn it! Grandpa had his, though, so pictures do exist of our last time with her. I'm so glad we were able to see her so recently. It was a really good lunch, too. The kids were all well behaved (Grandma & Grandpa even called my mom to tell them that!). And Grandma was really sweet, sharing her root beer with the boys (something I sure wouldn't do!) because I made them just get water. And she had gone shopping before that day to get a toy for each child - a Bionicle for David, a little Lego four-wheeler for Ryan, and a set of doll house dolls for Katy. How thoughful of her! I'm so glad to have that last happy memory of my grandma.

I'm sad that Katy won't remember her at all, and the boys won't really remember a ton. I'm sad that any future baby won't even get to meet her.

I'm going to miss getting our birthday cards from her a couple weeks late, and having her call to say that she believes in celebrating birthdays for a whole month. I'm going to miss going out to lunch with her any time I'm in California or she's near my house. I'm going to miss the loving and patient way she is with my children.

I hope she's having a great reunion with her parents, siblings, and two children that are already passed on! I am so greatful for having the Gospel, and the knowledge that we'll see her again. I will miss her until then!