Great Nana

The mind of a three-year-old fascinates me.  I assume Evie isn't listening to me (since she tends to ignore my requests 75% of the day), yet a few days later, something I mentioned will come back up.  I have been pleasantly surprised that "Great Nana" comes up at least 2-3 times a week recently.  Driving home from preschool she will randomly say she "misses Great Nana" or that she "likes Great Nana".

My immediate family knows that Evie did not warm up to Great Nana quickly, if at all during our visits with her.  Most of the time Evie cried and clung to us.  I think these might be the only two pictures I have of Great Nana holding Evie because after 7 months, she only wanted us

6 weeks

7 months

Evie did not attend Great Nana's funeral, nor was she there when my dad gave me the sad news of her passing; however, Evie heard enough prayers in the days between her stroke and death to know that I was very sad about Great Nana getting old.  When I would cry about my ailing grandmother, Evie asked why I was sad to which I told her I was sad to lose a very special lady in my life.

I have talked to Evie about Great Nana living in Heaven now with God and we can't visit her like she requests.  I am using her questions about how we can see Great Nana again as a teachable moment about Jesus and eternal life.   Her little sponge brain can soak it all in.  She told me last night that Great Nana, God, and Jesus are all in Heaven together.  That was after she commented about Great Nana taking a rocket to Heaven.  (She saw Pete the Cat in Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star take a rocket to a star).

Every time Evie mentions Great Nana, I am filled with so much joy.  Shockingly, I don't tear up over missing her, instead I am excited about passing on stories about her to Evie.  Last night after her rocket comment, I asked if she wanted a story about Great Nana after I said prayers.  Her eyes were wide open as she listened to me talk about her.  Tonight as I tucked her in, she asked for "prayers, a Great Nana story, songs, and snuggles".

I feel like I hear the most about my deceased family members when we are together at someones funeral.  I don't want Evie (or Braylen) to have to wait until someone dies to hear about my childhood with my Stefany grandparents.  I love that Evie is requesting stories and can see how I did a lot of the same things as a kid that she is doing with G and Poppop.

Now that I am a mom, I can appreciate exponential more what Nana did for our family.  She hosted every single holiday for her brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, in-laws, out-laws, grandchildren while never looking flustered.  I never heard Nana raise her voice except when she was trying to get her husband's attention "YO MIKE!"  She cooked with real butter and lived to see her 90s.  She is the super mom we all strive to be.  Gosh, I could blog about her all the time; she was just so amazing.

May 2013
May we always love our family like Nana loved us.