How is it that grandparents make everything so much better?

It is not often that you will find me writing about heavier topics on my blog. I use my blog as a platform to share my life with all of you. And I often take photos or think of things that occur in terms of, ‘that would be great for the blog’. The last few months can completely attest to this theory. But today I want to share my grandparents with all of you.

Recently a close friend in Ukraine lost his grandmother. I have not had much of chance to talk to him about her passing, but the passing of his grandmother has made me reflect on mine, not my passing, my grandparents. I sometimes think of my grandparents and wonder what they would think of my life choices, knowing that they would be supportive as they usually were when they were alive. But the past 24 hours has had me thinking of them often and shedding the occasional tear. I miss my grandparents and I was luckily to have such wonderful people in my life.

I lived closest to my dad’s parent in my hometown of Coos Bay. Grandma June and Grandpa Lloyd were there for every holiday and birthday. Grandma used to cook amazing little cakes for our birthdays and seemed to arrive with Tomato Aspic at every occasion. Grandpa Lloyd was always available for the crabbing or fishing excursions and seemed to always be working on something around the house. Grandma and Grandpa always had projects going on, and hosted many tea parties for all the grand kids. I remember days of the float swing from a very large tree and the hours we spent climbing in the laurel hedge. Grandma died 20 years ago and Grandpa died 19 years ago, and yet it seems like just yesterday. I miss them very much!!

My mom’s parents lived in Oakland, California, so I saw them less often, but I always felt a certain kinship to them. I always loved the annual visits to Grandma Carola and Papa’s. Well, maybe not always, I probably could have skipped a few when I was a teenager, but I treasure them now. Grandma Carola had a way of making everything better with food and Fresca. I learned many of my cooking skills from Grandma and will always have fond memories of endless hours in her kitchen. Papa and his garden, and his driving skills, these things make me smile. Papa loved his garden and I loved the Mulberry tree. Papa was a crazy driver, but he always got me wherever we were going in one piece, amazingly. Grandma Carola and Papa both died in the fall/winter of 2002, and again it seems like yesterday. I was blessed to have them alive for much of my twenties and the early part of my adult life. I miss them very much!!

And I cannot complete such an ode to my grandparents without talking about my stepmom’s parents, Grandma Ivene and Grandpa Bob. Grandma Ivene and Grandpa Bob became my third set of grandparents when I was 16, so 22 years ago. And they are amazing. They always welcomed my siblings and I with open arms. The Quick kids were a handful those many years ago, and because they loved my dad, they loved us also. We were included in all family events and activities, and were always considered one of the family. I will treasure the borrowing of Grandpa’s car to get to a job at McDonalds many years ago and all the Thanksgiving holiday weekends at Driftwood Shores. The Pittam family is a wonderful and loving family, crazy as they all are, and I love having them as a part of my family. Grandpa Bob died many years ago, and Grandma Ivene turned 94 this past April.

Some of you may still have grandparents who are living, call them and tell them you love them!

There are many days when I could use just one more hug from my grandparents. And I am happy to see that my parents never miss an opportunity to hug their grandchildren.

Grandparents make my world a better place.