Grandma Sandstrom

My Grandma, Donna Mae Sandstrom, passed away suddenly this morning in her sleep. I had so many plans for today, but I can't bring myself to do any of them. I just keep thinking of her and how much I will miss her. She was so well. She had plans to go on a field trip with a few of her friends today and had an appointment to get her hair done. Her passing was so unexpected for everyone.

I feel grateful that I was able to be with her at my cousin's wedding just two months ago. I got some great pictures of she and Mae on that trip. Those will be very meaningful to Mae because she is named after her.

I have been listening to the message she left for me on my phone all day today. I saved the message when she left it a week ago because I love her messages. I just can't believe I won't hear her voice again.

She has given us so many things and memories to remember her by. She made my girl's blankets that they can't sleep without, she made them their Christmas stockings, she made them their blessing dress, she made me my favorite blanket for graduation, and she gave my girls their favorite books that we read every nap time and bed time.

I will miss being able to call her for recipes. I will miss her spaghetti sauce. (I have the recipe and I was planning on making it tonight, but it never turns out as good as her's). I will miss making sugar cookies with her. I will miss her fresh vegetables from her garden. I will miss her gathering her family together especially at conference time and feeding us her potato salad and sloppy joes on her porch. I will miss the books she sends us for our birthdays and Christmas that are stamped on the inside with "From the Library of Great Grandma Sandstrom." I will miss calling her when it's my turn to choose the book for book club. I will miss talking to her. I will miss seeing her rock my children in her squeaky old rocking chair that she claims is just saying "I love you, I love you." (She used to rock me the same way in that same rocking chair) I will miss seeing her read to my chilren. I will miss her singing lullabyes (especially "go to sleep little toes go to sleep." She would sing about everybody part until she got to the eyes. Then the last verse went like this "the Grandma does, she loves you so, loves you so, loves you so, the Grandma does she loves you so, it's time to go to sleep.) I will miss her stories of her childhood, of her mother, of her mothering years, and of her grandmothering years. I will miss her saying "Oh dear dolly," "I love you so," "This is the Grandma," "I love you dearly," and "I love my new knee and my new hip, now I just need a new memory chip." I will miss her optomism and her sense of humor. She loved life and always was aware of the good.

She loved her garden, she loved her car, she loved to drive, she loved her home, she loved her porch, she loved her diet Pepsi, she loved her computer, she loved to play the piano, she loved her mountain and the way it changed with each season, she loved the snow, she loved the sunset, she loved sitting outside, she loved her friends, she loved to walk in the mornings, she loved to crochet, she loved to quilt, she loved to cook, she loved to read, she loved conference time, she loved to run errands with Grandpa. But most of all, she treasured family, her children and grandchildren. I wish I had spent more time with her, learned more from her in the kitchen and on the sewing machine, and learned more from her wisdom. She was a wonderful lady. I'm so glad she is my grandma. Heaven doesn't seem as far away when someone that you love so much and know so well is there. It can't be very far.