A very special lady...

So, I'm deviating from my daily entries for a damn good reason, if I do say so myself.I wanted to take a bit to share with you how cool my grandma is. And I'm fully aware of the fact that you all probably think you're grandma is the coolest one there is too... but still.... My weekend and/or Spring Break took a bit of a loop on Friday afternoon when I found out that my grandma was now on Hospice care and the outlook wasn't so hot.

Honestly, I thought about the blog. But if I'm truly real with you all and myself, if I were to list the ways I've been thankful it would be purely a "head-attempts-to-make-heart-feel-this-way" sort of thing. And yes, the memories and the qualities that I'm thankful for are playing through my mind like some weird combination of a slide show and home movie, but I'm not quite ready to settle into that part yet and instead I thought I would share just a few of the things that have played throughout this weird episode.

I had the pleasure of having my grandma, Gurley (blend of "grandma" and Shirley = Gurley) living in San Ramon with me for the first 14ish years of my life. I don't think I really knew how cool it was to be able to call her after a day in 6th grade and have her pick me up, take me back to her house, watch Jenny Jones and eat popcorn with me. Or how fun it was for her to take me to get my first manicure and pedicure (something I was always jealous of her for doing) and then taking me to Office Max and letting me literally SHOP till I was ready to drop with all the paperclips, pens, pencils, etc that I got. Or how she always had an open door for my friends and I to go swim in her pool during the summer. She would always attempt to buy us new pool toys, but would always get the cheaper pool noodles that left chunks on our skin before the summer was over. And how she would always invite me over to spend the night at her house, watch Annie with me which was one of the only movies she had, and let me sleep on the big comfy chair. Why I thought sleeping on the chair was better than a couch and/or bed I have no idea. But she laid in the family room with me until it was okay for her to go back to her own room. Or even how my best friend growing up, Kristen, would ALWAYS ask about her, and how Gurley would always ask about Kris. She was constantly welcoming, always friendly, and definitely always had my favorite snacks in the cupboard.

I was trying to think of some attempt at profound statements, or wisdom that I feel I can share, but I don't have anything. Instead... here are just a few random pictures I found on my parents computer that will hopefully give you the smallest glimpse into her loving sass that she had for everyone!