Thursday, March 22, 2012

My Grandmother

I've spoken a lot about my Grandmother on my blog so I thought it was about time I introduced her. My Grandmother was very, very dear to me, and was the only Grandmother I ever knew.  

Yesterday was her birthday, a day on which I find myself reflecting more than usual on the profound influence she had on my life. When I was a little girl, she nourished me with her unconditional love and adoration. As I grew to be an adult, she was a voice of strength, wisdom and love. Always love. 

In the photograph above, she stands by her beloved rose garden at her home in the hills of Studio City, California. 


My Grandmother was my father's mother. He was her only child, so my brother and I experienced the honor of being her only grandchildren. She lived as a widow for the last thirty years of her life after her husband, our Grandfather, passed away in his sixties.  

When I was around ten years old, I started to leave her little love notes each time we visited. I would slip away at the end of the evening before we headed home and would sit down at her desk to write some words of adoration for her to find after we left. This became a tradition of ours. 

These handwritten notes eventually grew into long letters when I moved to Maine to go to college. And therein began our love affair of writing long letters to each other. Our long distance correspondance lasted for over a decade through my college years, after graduation, during my time in England, and continued after I returned to Maine to live for the subsequent seven years. 

My Grandmother had severe hearing impairment. She struggled with hearing her entire life, and I know that it affected her deeply in many ways. She told me that when she was young, she wore a large, battery-operated device with headphones in order to help her communicate verbally. By the time I was born, hearing devices had improved, so she was able to hear better with the use of hearing aids. But her hearing was a constant struggle for her, especially in the latter days of her life 

Despite her hearing impairment, she graduated from UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles) where she earned a degree in business. For her to graduate from UCLA despite a hearing impairment, and as a young woman in the 1930s, was quite an accomplishment which must have required incredible determination and patience. While she was at UCLA, she also gained a penchant for college athletics - she was a devoted UCLA Bruins football fan for all of her days!

She used to amaze my brother and I with her stories of walking through the long rows of the cornfields that she passed between her family home in the Hollywood Hills and the campus. That was incredible to imagine when we were kids in the 1970s and 80s. 

She suffered from dimentia during the last ten or so years of her life. This was hard for all of us. But for all of the short term memory that alluded her, she was given the gift of absolute clarity in recollections of her youth. She loved telling stories about growing up with her parents and all of the things that they did together. It was wonderful to witness because it was obviously a very happy time in her life. And ironically, I think reliving her role as her parents' only child was comforting for her as she grappled with the vulnerability of her memory loss and aging. 

The last time I saw my Grandmother, Mike and I were standing in her bedroom at her home in the hills. She was being attended to by a nurse by that time. We stopped by for a quick visit on our way out of town after visiting for the Christmas holiday. She looked at me standing next to my new husband Mike and said, "Oh my darling, you look so grown up standing there." 

She passed away that following spring at the age of ninety three. She lived a long and wonderful life but I miss her so.

When my mom and I were closing up her estate, I came across several large three ring binders tucked safely away in her closet. I took one out and sat on the bed to look at it. What I saw took my breath away. Resting in little protective plastic sleeves were all of the letters, photographs and postcards that I had sent to her over the the course of our correspondance, including those first little love notes I left for her when I was a little girl. 

These items that were accumulated over many years were the story of my life, and she held it so very dear. I don't think I've ever felt such utter adoration and love in my entire life. She gave me the most wonderful gift and I will never forget it. 

Yesterday, I went through some of her old letters. It's been about seven years now since she passed and as I read her words once again I was reminded of how beautiful and special she was. Her letters were so lovely. She made the most ordinary things in life sound like poetry. 

I will cherish her words forever. 

Her name was Margaret. 

124 comments :

  1. Absolutley beautiful! Thank you for sharing your grandmother with us! I am very close to my grandma too! She is 86 now and I love her more and more each day. We have a very special relationship. She is the funniest person I have ever known. She is accepting, kind, and loving. We get together every year at Christmas and make bon bons together. This is a tradition that we have done for over twenty-five years. I know one day I will have to give her up, but I feel so blessed to have her in my life and to have such a special bond with such an amazing woman. Your post tonight reminded me of how special grandmothers are and how blessed I have been in my life to have such a wonderful one!

    ~Dan~

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  2. Thank you for sharing your grandmother with us. I'm a bit teary now, after reading about the letters. What a precious gift.

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  3. That is a beautiful story! Thanks so much for the post.

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  4. Oh dear that made me cry. How lucky you are to have such wonderful memories.

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  5. I stumbled upon your blog this evening, I'm so glad I was able to read this sweet story of your grandmother. I too have fond memories of my grandmother. Thanks for sharing :)
    ~ Crystal

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  6. o my gosh trina, i've got tears in my eyes. is this the grandmother that took you on the train to redlands? what a wonderful tribute to her and it makes me want to be a better grandmother too. i absolutley love the photo of you both. and now you have little margaret. so beautiful.

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  7. What a beautiful post, thank you for sharing, it brought tears to my eyes. I too had a great love for my grandparents, taking care of them for the last 2 years of their lives. It was such a joy and honor to hear their stories and be able to share that time with them. They passed 10 days apart Nov. 2011 and I miss them dearly. Warm regards to you. Lisa

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  8. I loved learning about your grandmother Margaret. Such a beautiful testimony of living life with love.

    Your letters . . . her letters . . . and once again . . . your letters . . .

    Treasures treasured . . .

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  9. Thank you for sharing, Trina. That brought tears to my eyes. She sounds like an amazing woman, and I love that you named your beautiful daughter after her.

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  10. Trina, this is a beautiful post of tribute to your dear Grandmother. It made me so happy to read about your love for each other. Your Grandmother was so lovely - inside and out! The older I get, the more often I think of my own grandmothers (both deceased) and the more I miss them and wish they were here. It was so easy to take their love and presence for granted when I was younger, but now that I am older and realize how much I don't know, I wish so much I had their knowledge and wisdom to help me. A grandmother like your Margaret is a great blessing. Thank you for sharing this with us.

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  11. That was BEAUTIFUL!!! Thank you for introducing us to your Grandmother. I have goosebumps and tears. What a rich family heritage you have! And what a treasure your correspondence must have been to her; as well as for you to find them again.
    I'm going to write to my grandparents more often. Since the internet has come into existence we have forgotten to write letters. Thank you for that reminder!

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  12. Trina, what an eloquent and touching story. Your beloved Grandmother sounds like an amazing woman and an incredible influence on your life. How very blessed you were to be in each other's lives. I love when I hear stories of grandchildren and grandmothers, as I was close to both of mine. I think it is so interesting that she was an only child and your father was also, and now you have the little twins! She would be so proud of all you have built...

    xo Terri

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  13. Beautiful. Thank you for sharing a piece of your heart.

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  14. As soon as I saw your father's picture I saw how much your babies look like him!
    Thank you for sharing such a wonderful story of love. How blessed you were to have your grandmother, and she you.

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  15. I am sitting here reading this incredible post with tears streaming down my face.

    I love this, I love your Grandma, I love your writing, I love you.

    This touched my heart.

    I never had a Grandma, mine both died before I was born.

    This story must be making her SMILE with such pride.

    Happy birthday, Margaret. You are dearly loved, remembered and cherished, so you never ever die.

    What a sweet story. What a GAL!

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  16. This is a touching and beautiful post. I adored my Nana too and hold the many happy memories of our past close to my heart. Thank you for sharing this very special and lovely woman with us. How very lucky you were to have her as your Grandmother.

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  17. Touching... With tears in my eyes, I am filled with heartfelt memories of my grandmothers and a family friend who is very ill. Aren't we the lucky ones who have been blessed with loving 'family' who nurtured and taught us so well? Imprints on our souls...the lucky ones...

    So wonderful to hear of the history of "Margaret."

    xoxo, Chris

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  18. Oh, you made me cry! I am currently 8000 miles away from my beloved 103 yr old Nana and miss her like crazy. *sniff sniff*

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  19. beautiful post. My grandmother is 95.

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  20. What beautiful memories you have. It's lovely to read that you appreciate how fortunate you were to bask in the love of such a grandmother.

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  21. This is so very sweet. I am teary.

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  22. I'm usually just a lurker here but I just had to comment after reading this beautiful post. It made me cry and brought back so many wonderful memories of my own grandmother, who I miss so much. Thank you for sharing this.

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  23. Thank You so much for sharing your memories of your Grandmother. It gives me hope that the things I do as a Grandma will not be forgotten.

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  24. what a lovely story. I hope your babies, especially Margaret, have inherited some of these wonderful traits you speak of, which you can recognize and 'cultivate'.

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  25. grandmothers are so special------

    elma

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  26. Thank you for this beautiful post. As I was reading, I was remembering my own dear grandmother, who passed away almost 20 years ago.

    The ending was especially precious - how wonderful to have your daughter named for this dear lady.

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  27. It's a wonderful post and makes one realize that we are all indebted to the parents and grand parents whose care and sacrifice makes society possible.

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  28. Trina,
    Pass the linen hanky over here.....big fat tears while reading these eloquent and touching words. It is so amazing how people shape our lives - even long after their passing. I love how much she meant to you.
    She would be so proud of you and your lovely home and family.
    pve

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  29. Trina, your writing is beautiful, a gift you indeed inherited from your grandmother. This was truly a joy to read. Thank you for sharing your story with us. Very sweet!

    I love the second photograph of your grandmother with her husband and son. Your daughter looks a little like your father, I think. Your grandmother was very pretty.
    Claudia

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  30. What a wonderful story to share with us and to pass on to your children. Your grandmother was a very strong woman to go to college let alone graduate with a hearing impairment. I know it was hard for her as I went through college without the use of hearing aids, but was legally deaf. If you have a strong will you find you can do almost anything if you want.

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  31. This was a lovely tribute to your grandmother. Such a blessing to have had such a wonderful relationship. I really enjoy your blog but this is the first time I had to write a comment. Your post made me teary eyed.

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  32. this post was beautiful. and such a reminder of the depth of stories and class and knowledge the older generation has. i write letters to my grandmother, too, so this really hit home. thanks for sharing!

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  33. Trina, such a beautiful tribute to your Grandmother. It brings tears to my eyes, happy tears, as the memories of my very dear Granny come flooding back to me. She was very much like your Grandmother. And, her middle name was Margaret!

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  34. And just think. It was 90 some years ago that little Margaret was in pigtails.

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  35. Trina great story. I just lost my grandfather 3I weeks agohe was so much more than that we worked together and ate lunch and breakfast every morning for the past 20 years. I got my love for houses from him he was a builder. So this post really hit home. Have a great weekend

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  36. Trina, a beautiful post that touched my heart. It was my birthday yesterday too - a big one - 40 and it made me think of my mother and nanan both no longer with me - I miss them so much. But like you I am so lucky to have warm loving memories of them both. I also love your seat you inherited from your grandmother, lovely treasures to remind you of a special lady.

    Sharon

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  37. What a beautiful post, and what an incredible gift for you. She sounds like such a wonderful woman. Both my grandmothers influenced me also and I often find myself thinking of them and missing them so much. Thanks for sharing such a beautiful memory.

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  38. A beautiful and loving post. Thanks for sharing. - Maggie

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  39. That is just the sweetest. After my own grandmother died, we found a box full of letters from my niece. There were letters from a 5yo little girl and a grown young women. My niece felt like it was a scrapbook of her life. What a treasure to find that someone has savored every moment of your life.

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  40. What a lovely story!

    I had a wonderful long distance letter writing relationship with my grandfather. I was the first granddaughter, and the second grandchild, and apparently he adored me. I left England when I was four years old, and never saw him again, but from the time I could write, until I was in my early twenties (when he passed away just weeks before I was to visit him), we shared long letters. I'm sad that I didn't keep them all (I only have a few).I loved my grandfather very much.

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  41. This post has me crying a bit, but in that "good way". Thanks for sharing your memories of your grandmother here. Baby Margaret has a good namesake.

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  42. thank you. that was beautiful. donna

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  43. Simply beautiful post and I know your grandmother would feel honored. You have a wonderful treasure in those cards and letters.

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  44. Tears in my eyes! I love that your baby girl is named after her. Just precious. Robyn

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  45. I know that your little Margaret will be proud to be your grandmother's namesake. What a precious legacy.

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  46. I couldn't have said it better Trina. My grandmother was a big influence in my life as well and has a similar background as your grandmother. Attending business school in the late 1920's is what my grandmother set out to do and the skills she learned allowed her to open a business and support her family when my grandfather was left unable to walk due to polio.
    She has been gone 10 years now and would have been 102 years old. I think of her daily with love. Thank you for the memories of your granmother. Tracy in Port Ludlow.

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  47. what a wonderful post!! And you are so blessed to have such a loving relationship with this great lady. My son felt the same way about my parents and named his youngest daughter "Nellie" after my mother. I couldn't be happier!

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  48. You made me cry! What a sweet woman and how luck you were to have had her in your life.

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  49. Such a beautiful tribute to your Grandmother! I am sure is looking down with tears:).

    ~Julia

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  50. What a lovely tribute to a very special woman. I think you were both so lucky to have one another. She would be so proud of you Trina, and just imagine how thrilled she would be to have little Margaret named after her. I adore her umbrella under the porch in the first photo- you can tell she loved houses too.

    xojoan

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  51. I had a grandmother like that too. After she died, we found she had made scrapbooks for all of us grandkids (there were 7 of us) with pictures we had never seen from our childhood. She took time to make each one of the 7 of us feel special. I treasure it too! Thank you for sharing.

    Judy :)

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  52. Your sweet story brought me to tears. Your grandmother seemed precious and the notes.....great memories to reflect on.

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  53. I, too , was blessed to have a grandmother of singular influence in my life. She passed away a little over two years ago at the age of 103. LouLou taught me to love poetry, the sea, to recognize innumerable flowers and the songs of many birds. Her words and life lessons echo constantly in my head and heart. I have a granddaughter who is named after her. I often pray that I will be one tenth the woman she was. I share with you the blessing of a wonderful grandmother!

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  54. How sweet. What wonderful memories of your grandmother. Everyone should be so fortunate to have that kind of relationship. I love that you named your daughter after her. What a beautiful tribute. :)

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  55. Trina, your a writer as well I can see. Beautifully written. How precious is life and the people who touch ours. How fortunate are you to have had such an experience with such a grand lady.
    God bless,
    Lisa

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  56. I just stumbled upon your post & wanted to tell you how much it touched my heart. I also had a grandmother from whom I always felt unconditional love. I was blessed to be with her the moment she left this life, telling her what a wonderful granny she was and how much I missed her. Because of my parents divorce when I was young she and my grandaddy were often my safe harbor in the stormy sea of life. Thank you for reminding me how blessed I was.

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  57. What a wonderful blog post to wake up to today. Yours was the first I opened out of 61 emails. It reminded me so much to work harder at being a grandma who creates beautiful memories for our grandchildren. Our oldest granddaughter and I write off and and she leaves me notes in our home when she comes over very similar to what your memory was with your grandma. I need to find a file system for them right now they are just in a small box. The role of being a grandma is very special more so than that of a mom. Grandma's are the ones you can just hang out with, no rules or very little, and just relax.
    Thank you for this wonderful memory to share with you.
    You were so blessed.

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  58. Such a beautifully written post filled with love. Thank you for sharing it.
    xo Dianne

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  59. You brought me to tears this morning! I, too, am a grandma's girl...she is my rock! Fortunately, I still have my grandma and enjoy spending time with her. But this has given me an even stronger determination to love her as much as I can while I still have her here with me!

    Thank you for this!

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  60. Thanks for sharing. Your beautiful babies look so much like your dad in that picture. Your little Margaret is lucking to have such a wonderful namesake :)

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  61. Sounds like I'm not the only one wiping away a tear or two. What a wonderful post to stumble on today. It's the 1 year anniversary of losing my mom today. I also had wonderful grandmothers. Here's to all the women who have helped shape who we are!

    xoxoxo

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  62. Very beautiful post, Trina. I was lucky enough to live next to one of my grandmothers so I was at her house all the time. I have lots and lots of wonderful memories and it's nice to know that no matter what, I'll always have those.

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  63. Maravillos recuerdos atesoras, tu abuela una gran mujer de valores increibles, que se pueden apreciar en ella. Tienes un gran recuerdo, cuidalo siempre. Saludos

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  64. What a beautiful story! My grandmother is headed toward 101 in May! Although she is frail and tired at times, she still has a wonderful memory and sense of humor.

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  65. What a wonderful and beautiful story of your sweet grandmother. I had tears in my eyes reading it. Memories are the one gift, we each can leave behind after we are gone. So, we should make sure to make many of them, for those we love. Hopefully, some of us will have the happy sweet memories that you have. thanks for sharing

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  66. A precious post. She loved you fiercely all your life, and left you memories.

    God bless grandparents.

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  67. It is a wonderful gift to have a grandmother that lives a long life with you. My father's mother lived into her late 80's, and my mid 40's. That is one of the best gifts of my life, I know she is smiling down on me, just like I know yours is smiling down on your. Cherish the memories!! donna :)

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  68. That is just beautiful!!!

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  69. Trina, thanks for sharing. I miss my grandma everyday. She was a special lady in my life, always made me smile. She use to ride the greyhound bus from southern Ohio to our house in Chicago. She would sit us down and tell tales of her bus ride and how she would pretend to be asleep when coming to a bus stop so she wouldn't have to share her seat. She was a character. I now have 2 grandsons and hope to make special memories with them. Mickey in PA.

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  70. Beautiful, well said, and love, love, love you named your daughter after her. Life is more beautiful with love.

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  71. I have tears in my eyes, what a wonderful story you've shared. I, too had such a close relationship with my grandma. When she passed, quite unexpectedly (from a heart attack) my mom came across all of the letters and cards I had sent her. I so agree with you, it's a love that I can only hope my granddaughter feels from me. It's a very nice standard to live by and so wonderful to have experienced.
    Karen

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  72. I, too, had a very special relationship with my "Nana"...she has been gone now for 10 years. I thank you for sharing your grandmother with us...

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  73. What a lovely tribute to your grandmother and thank you for introducing her to your readers. Just yesterday, I purchased some candytuft and some creeping phlox to plant in our garden. My grandmother's garden was bordered with these old fashioned perennials. Every spring the sight of their blooms bring back lovely childhood memories I have of my grandmother and her garden.

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  74. I too grew up knowing the love of one Grandma.

    I cherish all the special time I had with my Grandma.

    I will always keep her in my heart. Your story is

    heartwarming. So touching...I have a HUGE lump

    in my throat! Thank you

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  75. This is such a lovely post. My own grandmother gave me memories of her childhood in the early 1900s - so vivid that it almost seems like I was there too! Grandmothers are such a blessing, aren't they? ::Jill

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  76. My eyes welled up when I read your post on your grandmother. This is a beautiful post about a lovely woman, she must have been extraordinary.

    I was very close to my nana also. I was #3 of 40 grandchildren - but I was her daughters's 1st child, for some reason that made a difference and made me "extra special," something I never took for granted.

    My last conversation with my nana was the night she passed away when told me she was sorry she wouldn't be here for our wedding. She was with me in spirt, I carried one of her hankies.

    Her name was Mabel, didn't they have great names!

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  77. What a beautiful post! I have tears welling up and I don't even know you or your beloved grandmother! Don't worry, they are good tears.
    Thank you for sharing your story.
    :) Amanda

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  78. Those of us who have had such Grandmothers are indeed blessed. Being a grandmother myself now, I see that it is a relationship like none other. I only hope that I can in some way fill her shoes.
    Kathy

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  79. Thank you for sharing your story and the photo's of your beloved Grandmother. Clearly she was an amazing woman who rose above many obstacles in her life.

    This post has planted the idea for me to do a similar note-saving thing with my OWN grandchildren. What a GREAT legacy to share.

    My Grandson is only 8 months old and my Granddaughter is due to be born in June...so I have a bit of time before this project will get underway. Still, it's a great plan.

    I am sooo thankful that you shared this story with us.

    What a tribute to the love between a Grandmother and a Grandchild.

    It really is beautiful and would make a terrific screenplay.

    Perhaps you should consider that...not only would it be a tribute to your grandmother... it would be a blessing to everyone who sees the movie.

    In Him,
    Grace

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  80. what a lovely post. I've recently started writing letters by hand to dear ones. It's very special.

    and my given name is Margaret too. . . .

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  81. beautiful....waht an amazing legacy she has left you. It brings a tear to my eye.

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  82. That is a beautiful story, the tears are rolling down my face.

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  83. So very beautiful and familiar to me. My Nana was my beloved relative, and I have years of her journals in my possession. There is nothing like reading about stories from when I was 3. Oh, and I am from Maine and a UMaine alum too :)

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  84. This post has brought tears to my eyes, tears of happiness, it reminds me of my own Grandmother and Grandfather of which we had such a special bond between us and this post has my mind filled with wondeful memories...Thank you so much for this post!! ~Ashley

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  85. Oh my word I have tears!!! What a Beautiful story and such a wonderful grandmother you were so Blessed with!! What a gift that she saved all your notes!! WOW!!
    I never knew my grandparents as they all passed when i was young. Thanks for sharing!!

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  86. What a beautiful story. I was very close to my mothers mother and hope one day to be that kind of grandmother to my grandchildren.

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  87. Hi Trina, that was so sweet. I'm just stopping by to say how delightful your blog is. Thanks so much for sharing. I have recently found your blog and am now following you, and will visit often. Please stop by my blog and perhaps you would like to follow me also. Have a wonderful day. Hugs, Chris
    http://chelencarter-retiredandlovingit.blogspot.ca/

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  88. This lovely tribute to your grandmother made me cry. I am sooo glad that you have such sweet memories.
    I didn't have a grandmother...both died before I was born.
    I had step grandmothers that lived far away and we didn't have a chance to bond. I so hope and pray that I am the kind of grandmother to my 10 grandchildren that they will remember me with love. :)
    xo bj

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  89. What a beautiful gift you have from your gradmother! It sounds like she loved you so very much. I am certain she is filled with joy as she "watches" her namesake grow.

    Thanks so much for sharing this.

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  90. I just got chills reading your post. What a lovely tribute to your grandmother. I am not close with mine but always wished I was. Reading this makes me wistful but also so happy that you had this type of relationship in your life. Thank you for sharing.

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  91. Thank you for sharing your grandmother with us. I, too, adored my maternal grandmother. I have her letters to me tied up in a bundle with a grograin ribbon. They are one of my most prized possessions.

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  92. sitting here on this beautiful, sunshine filled, spring day crying over your memories of your wonderful grandmother.

    thank you so much for sharing her with us....I love that you experienced such love from her.

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  93. I am a photographer, looking for inspiration for an upcoming Victorian Tea shoot and I stumbled upon your lovely post about your grandmother. Her story, your story, the photos and the love your writing exudes filled me with nostaligic memories of my own darling grandmother.
    Thank you so much for sharing.

    (My photos: dreamsharephotography.blogspot.ca )

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  94. Thank you.....I too had the blessing of a loving Grandmother named Margaret! In fact, my business and my blog are named after her.
    Your story brought tears,and smiles for me, I loved it. I will always treasure my memories of my grandma who loved me so. I now am "Jamar" to my grandchildren and always aware of my influence on them when they are with me. I now receive love letters from my 7 year old grand daughter which I will always keep close to my memory and heart. Thank you so much for sharing your grandma with us!

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  95. What a beautiful story. I loved reading this. You seem to have the same lovely spirit that you so admired in your Grandmother.
    xxx

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  96. Oh Trina, in a way, this is another loving letter to your beautiful Grandmother, one that we can all share in. It's precious, and so touching, and really shows how much a loving presence in a persons life can have a lasting, positive effect on the heart and on that hearts future.
    Sweet little Margaret will be able to know her namesake, and her young mommy, through those cherished letters and notes...it's truly special.
    Such a beautifully written post...thank you. ♥
    xo J~

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  97. Thanks for sharing, grandparents are so special. I miss my grandma so much. I want my kids to spend as much time with their grandparents so they too know how special they are.

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  98. Lovely, I truly loved your post. I also had a very very special grandmother, that passed away last year, aged 98, completely lucid and independent. She was the mother of nine, so with nine children, twenty grand-children and about the same number of great-grandchildren, sunday lunch at her house never had less than thirty people. Every sunday until the day she died. I have a post on her on my own blog, that unfortunately is in portuguese, but you can see her picture, she reminds me a lot of your grandmother, except she was just a homemaker here in Brazil and never had a college degree. She embroidered beautifully,it was her lifetime hobby, so she is a source of constant inspiration for my shop, and I still have many of her designs.
    http://www.linum.blog.br/2010/11/d-beatriz-uma-homenagem/

    oh, and the picture you will see of a nativity scene is the nativity in the brazilian tradition that she set up every christmas.
    I hope you like it.

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  99. This is so precious. I can't get over how lovely you spoke about your grandmother it brought a tear to my eye, what wonderful memories you have of your grandmother. You write so nicely as well, she would be proud :)

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  100. Perfection -- your words, your grandmother, the letters and the love they were written with.
    Thank you for this intimate peek into your world.

    Deborah

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  101. This is such a beautifully written piece. Your children will appreciate reading it one day too. You are blessed to have had a grandmother for so long. Mine both died when I was pretty young.

    And I love your little Margaret's piggy tails!!!

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  102. This is such a beautiful story, Trina. Grandmothers are so important, I miss my grandmother too who passed away 4 years ago from dementia. She was an inspiration. Thank you for sharing your grandmother with us.

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  103. so beautiful story...

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  104. Wow. I doubt I've ever read such a moving post... what a wonderful story and beautiful relationship you were so lucky to have had.

    Thank you for sharing with us.

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  105. Thank you, Trina, for sharing the story of your grandmother and for bringing to mind my own grandparents, who doted on me and whom I utterly adored. Thank you also for reminding me--as a new grandparent--about the value of unconditional love, time, and attention that we are privileged to bestow on our grandchildren.

    Blessings to you and your family,
    Debbie

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  106. What a lovely and heartfelt story I just found here. It really touched my heart as my hope in life is being able to walk through life in such a way that one day I would epitomize to my own grandkids exactly what your dear grandmother was able to represent to you. Sweetness and strength.

    Cielo

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  107. Beautiful post. sounds like a wonderful person.

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  108. What a touching and beautiful tribute to your Grandmother. It brought back memories of my own Grandmother, who was "my rock" and a huge influence on my life, as yours was for you. Thank you for your lovely post.

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  109. I think you must have inherited her gift of writing!!
    Thank you for sharing this with us!

    This is the third time you have made me cry! :)

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  110. Your love, and affection, for your grandma shines through your tribute.

    What a wonderful legacy she left you, and your family!

    I so identify with her generation; my dad's 90.

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  111. Trina I just had to post a comment because I too was incredibly close to my grandmother and our grandmothers seem to share many traits as well as special places in our hearts. My mom and I moved in with my grandmother when I was 10 and her house is what I still call home. She was a Steel Magnolia if ever there was one and the biggest role model in my life. She died a few years ago at age 90 and I miss her all the time. She too had an impairment as a child--she suffered from polio and walked with a pronounced limp her whole life--but it never stopped her. She too graduated from college at a time when women didn't even attend college and was a huge sports fan! I'm so grateful to have some of her cherished possessions but my favorite is her library. She had a collection of books that were passed down to her from her grandparents (many with handwritten notes inside) and now I have them to care for and display. (You can see them in this post: http://www.urbanorchardinteriors.com/antique-books-and-photographs/
    Sorry for writing such a long comment. This lovely post of yours struck a chord with me! Thanks for sharing your lovely story of your grandmother!

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  112. What a beautiful story to share about your grandmother. Thank you. It brought tears to my eyes as I remember my sweet grandma too.

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  113. I loved reading this....very poignant and touching. Glad to find another Oregonian! cherry

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  114. Well. I'm just sitting here crying. That is one of the most beautiful stories I've heard in a long, long time. Your grandmother loved you so. How lucky you were to have each other.

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  115. I love this story, i cried because I miss my Nanna too.
    Nanna's are a precious gift!

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  116. A beautiful story about a beautiful grandmother. She loved you very much. My mum suffered from dementia so I understand how heartbreaking it is to see someone you love go through it.
    On a lighter note, I love your blog!
    Take care.

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  117. Hi, Trina--

    I've been following you for awhile now but somehow just found this post of yours today, and I was struck by how much we have in common with our pen pal grandmothers. :) ♥ I wrote about mine in 2007 here: http://myprettylittleroughpatches.blogspot.com/2007/02/pen-and-paper-visits.html

    Best Wishes--and Beautiful Babies, re: your most recent post :)

    --Val ♥

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  118. What wonderful memories came to mind as I read your entry today. My oldest sister lived far away from us from the time I was 15 years old. She and my Mom (and the rest of us from time to time) corresponded through the mail for many years. After my Mom died, my sister found tons of the letters my Mom had written to her and typed them up and sent to to me. I have them in a folder and love reading about her everyday life. She mentioned something about every one of my other sisters and I in every letter. I miss her every day.

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  119. Well I just sat there and bawled! Seriously sobbed I was so touched by what you said about your Grandmother!

    I am a "Granny" and ADORE being a "Granny"!!

    I am aware that the "Circle of Life" is a fact of life; and I can adore and "spoil my grandchildren" in a different way!

    "Nonno" is grandfather in Italian.....all seven of our grandchildren call Adam "Nonno"; Poppy dubbed
    me "Yes! yes!" Because I say...."the answer is "yes" unless it is "illegal, poisonous, or dangerous!"

    Thank you for sharing your grandmother.........my heart is touched. I will be doing a blog post on my wonderful "Granny"!

    Thank you for sharing!! Merry Christmas!!

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  120. Holy cow! I am astonished and truly touched by how many people have responded to your lovely post about your grandmother!

    It has inspired me to post a blog about BEING a grandmother!!
    There were no such things as blogs; but I bet our grandmother's would have been blogging up a storm!

    I "asked" for the name "Granny" when our daughters were pregnant! They all laughed and said......."no one else will ask for "Granny" and they were right!

    Beautiful post. And you and your grandmother were very lucky....and so am I!

    Penelope

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Thank you for leaving your thoughts. Kind regards, Catherine

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