Mommie Dearest: ...all that remains is just an empty chair

Today marks one year since Jeremy's grandma passed away. Funny how it can seem like so long ago, yet just like yesterday at the same time. Sometimes I actually forget she's gone. I wanted to call her to ask her how she made something then my heart dropped when I realized I couldn't.

I miss lunches at her house. She was always sitting at the table she had set anxiously waiting to see what we made today. Often when she was done eating, she'd step into the bathroom, fix her hair, put on lipstick, then come back to the table. This was our cue to ask if she needed to go somewhere. Sometimes she pretended like she didn't need to, but when Jeremy would tell her he was running to Boberg's to fill up his tank she'd practically be running to the car before he was done with his sentence. She'd always come out of the gas station with her cigarettes and a snack for us to share.

She was fun to tease and she wasn't afraid to give it right back. When I think of her I can hear her infamous "Oh Geod" ringing in my ears. Never God, always Geod.

There are a ton of things about her that make me smile, but one of my absolute favorites was when we came one day for lunch. She was talking about what Kenny did to make her mad over the weekend. She said she was so mad at him that she just said "F you, Kenny". Then she giggled and proclaimed "But I didn't say 'F', I said the real word!" Oh no, not that!! I learned quickly that her alone time with Jeremy had to be limited. You wouldn't believe the words she'd learn on a trip to Madison. She'd come home talking about the dumb whore in the car in front of them. Nice, Jer.

We had a party for her 75th birthday. I think that may have been the happiest I had ever seen her. She called several times that night to thank us because she had such a good time.

I could go on and on about her. I saw her nearly every day for 14+ years. I spent more time with her in my lifetime than I did my own grandmother's. She stole my heart. If you ever met her, you'd understand how someone could so easily fall in love with her.

I'm posting a few of my favorite pictures of her. We tried to get pictures of her with Brendan every opportunity we had. She declared him her favorite great grandchild before he was even born. Even in her sickest days, her eyes lit up when he was around. She truly adored him.

Doris and Jeremy, Easter 2006