Grandma June

October 15, 2016

Grandma June

Grandma June, aka Manna June, was one of the most beautiful people I knew. She was beautiful both inside and out, living proof that people like that did/do exist.

She lived an amazing 95 years, relatively independent for the most part. She was a sharp cookie - I remember being in awe of her when grocery shopping - she always knew, within a few dollars, how much her total would be. I have so many fond memories of her, and it breaks my heart knowing that the next time I visit Illinois, she won't be there.

She adored her Charleigh June. I still remember her excitement when she found out that I was pregnant. And, I remember her sheer giddiness when I told her what her name would be.

Charleigh June has quite a few things in common with her namesake -- she loves shoes, animals, and loves to dance. Since Grandma's passing she dances more frequently and now refers to herself as "June-June." I'm starting to feel like it's Grandma's way of letting me know that she'll always be here with me.

Grandma was completely floored when she found out I was having twins - she said she just couldn't believe it. I'm so thankful that I was able to go back to Illinois last February and she was able to meet them.

Grandma loved it when we'd FaceTime and she could see the kids. The fact that I had a little girl with blue eyes and reddish hair thrilled her. I catch myself thinking upon occasion, "I should record that. Grandma would really get a kick out of it," only to remember that she's now gone.

It just doesn't seem right...

I wanted to share a few of my favorite memories of Grandma, so that I never forget them:

Christmas ~~ Grandma June's favorite time of the year was Christmas and she'd put her Christmas tree up as soon as she could. Getting the tree just right was quite the ordeal, and after all was said & done, she'd just sit there and look at the tree - fluffing whenever necessary.

Birdwatching ~~ We always had to have peanuts at her house for the cardinals. She enjoyed watching all the birds, but the cardinals were always her favorite.

Catalogues ~~ There was always a stack of catalogues so that whenever we were bored we could look at all "the pretties."

Fudge ~~ Whether it was peanut butter or chocolate, Grandma made the very best fudge and the consistency was always perfect. Since it didn't contain marshmallows or fluff, it had potential of being grainy. I know her fudge is a cherished family recipe.

The "Showcase" ~~ Grandma had a showcase of pictures of the entire family throughout the house, and kept any cards she received neatly displayed for all to see.

Roses ~~ Those roses beds were her pride and joy. And her yard - oh, her yard. It had to be cut JUST right, otherwise she'd fret until it could be cut again and she could see that the lines were perfect.

Collections ~~ Grandma had some pretty impressive collections. Her Christmas village, Bird statues/figurines, flower and butterfly pictures, cards, magnets, Christmas ornaments, shoes and coffee mugs. {Side note: our most recent trip to WDW was tough because I always looked for the PERFECT coffee mug for her, I felt empty leaving without one.}

It's tough writing this blog, and I've been putting it off forever. I feel like I should have done it much sooner, but I've struggled with it. Words just cannot describe what an amazing, beautiful woman she was.