My Nanny



On January 31, 2016 I decided to write about my Nanny.

I called my grandmother ‘Nanny.’  She picked that name as she felt ‘grandmother’ sounded too old.  She had always been young at heart.  Even when she went into her 90s she was always on the go.  She was so busy that she would even tire out my aunt – her daughter – with all the different groups and activities my aunt would take her to.

I didn’t get to see my Nanny that often as she didn’t live nearby, but she would occasionally fly up to see her daughter – my mother – and my family.  I was always excited when I heard that she was coming.  My Nanny was the only grandparent I ever knew as none of my extended family lived nearby.  I didn’t actually start to get to know more of my extended family until my mid 20’s.

Nanny was so sweet.  She was always encouraging me and uplifting to me.  Any accomplishments I did whether it was for school or swimming or otherwise she would always praise me about them.  She was also one of my pen pals.  I loved getting letters from her and about how her life was.  It made me feel special that she would take the time to sit down and write to me.

I got this one adorable gift from her that was shipped to me for my 11th birthday.  It was a little doll girl that you could wind up from the back and she would play music as her head turned side to side.  I ended up letting my mom use the doll to wake me up every morning for school with her music.  It made me feel like Nanny was nearby to say good morning to me.

My mother found out recently that Nanny wasn’t doing so well and that she might not make it.  My mom flew down to be there with her.  I had hoped that maybe she would pull through as 5 years prior when she was 95 years old we thought we might lose her, but she got so much better a week later.  Nanny had always said that she wanted to make it to her 100th birthday as then she could get the letter from the Queen. 

I had planned on coming down to see her for her 100th birthday later this year, but from hearing how sick she was I didn’t know if she would make it.  My mom told me it was touch and go at times for Nanny.  In the end my mom stayed with her for 27 hours in the hospital when she passed away. 

When my mom called, I just missed the phone call.  I had a feeling what she was calling about.  I called her back and had my husband with me and that is when my mom told me that Nanny had just passed away.  My husband held me as I cried for a bit.

I decided to fly down for Nanny’s funeral as she was special to me.  It turns out that this was my first funeral I had been to, as I’ve been very fortunate that before this had happened I had not had someone close to me pass on.

I didn’t know what to expect since I hadn’t been to a funeral before.  I thought maybe it might be a sad one as a loved one had just passed on.  It turned out that I found Nanny’s funeral to be quite uplifting.  My mom gave the eulogy and it was really wonderful.  She spoke of how Nanny had affected so many people in their lives wherever she went.  Mom also spoke of how she had a passion and love for God and how Nanny loved to share that with others. 

After the funeral I spoke to many people from her church, family, and friends, and they gave their condolences and spoke so highly of her.  I could tell that she was loved by so many and would be missed by many more.  At the cemetery there were a small number of us there, Nanny’s three daughters, her son-in-law, a few grandchildren and a few others.  Each of us picked a rose off of the bouquet of flowers close by and put it on her casket.  We also put flowers for those that were not there, which were other family members, and friends from overseas. 

It was not easy saying goodbye to my Nanny, but I’m glad that I got to know her my whole life.  I know she didn’t make it to her 100th birthday, but she did make it to her 100th year of life as she was born in 1916 and I know that made her smile.  I’ll miss you tons Nanny and you’ll always be in my heart.

Patricia <3  J

 

1 Peter 4:8     Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

 

Here’s a song about there being only one way with our Lord, and there is no other, and He had made us all new and we owe it all to Him, and we have overcome by His love, which made our Lord alive in us.

 

“Alive In Us” by Hillsong

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r75QOBqxOrM&list=PL3whQX319DaB37iB8NZpJe206iSdpe3kc&index=117

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