Flashback Friday

on Saturday.

I kept sitting down to write this but, it was more difficult than I thought it would be.

Around this time last year we celebrated my Grandma Kolene's 80th birthday.






A few days later she checked into the hospital. She passed away not long after that. She was my last living grandparent. I was her first grandchild. The first girl in generations on the Broadhurst side of the family.

She was the grandma I was named after.

She was the grandma that held me in her lap as she read The Little Red Caboose.


She was the grandma with the HUGE coloring books at her house.

She was the grandma that taught me the Peanut Butter and Jelly song, with all the motions.

"First you take the peanuts

And you crunch 'em,

You crunch 'em

First you take the peanuts

And you crunch 'em,

You crunch 'em
For your peanut, peanut butter

And jelly

Peanut, peanut butter

And jelly

Then you take the grapes

And you squish 'em,

You squish 'em

Then you take the grapes

And you squish 'em,

You squish 'em

For your peanut, peanut butter

And jelly

Peanut, peanut butter

And jelly

Then you take the bread

And you spread it,

You spread it

Then you take the bread

And you spread it,

You spread it

For your peanut, peanut butter

And jelly

Peanut, peanut butter

And jelly

Then you take your sandwich

And you eat it,

You eat it

Then you take your sandwich

And you eat it,

You eat it

'Cause its good, peanut butter

And jelly

Good, peanut butter

And jelly"

She was the grandma that saved the Funnies from the newspaper and brought them to me once a month when I was a teenager.

She was the grandma that bought me boxes of Jelly Belly jelly beans. We had so much fun following the recipes in the Jelly Belly box.

Here's one of my favorite photos. My grandmother with me, her first granddaughter, and Aryn, her first great-granddaughter.

I had the opportunity to help my mom, my aunt, and a few loving friends dress my grandmother for the funeral. It was a special experience. Before we left the room my mom said her good-byes. She asked if I wanted to say anything but, I just couldn't. All I could do was cry.

I love you, grandma. I love sharing your name. I cherish the memories I have with you. I miss you. I think of you often.