Sunday, November 7, 2010

Day 2: A picture of you and the person you've been closest with longest...

Hehe. Bet you thought it was gonna be a friend of mine, and I thought it might be too, but I ran across this picture when I was looking for one of me and my friend Dawn taken earlier this year, and I thought..."Y'know, this is actually the one I was looking for"

My grandma....I'm not even sure where to start. I love this woman. She is stubborn and gentle and wise and funny. She is the matriarch in the family but not because she forces her will on others. She teaches me lots of things, cooking Polish food, putting my hair in pin curls...

She's a warrior, because she lived through the Depression, the gangster era in Chicago when people would come looking for protection money and the little old Polish lady that was the landlord would chase em out with a broom, losing her husband and still raising 4 kids. She's not one to complain, either, she was never a victim of her circumstances because she didn't let herself be.

She's taught me that you're only as old as you think you are, that you can laugh at life and at 80+ you can be a kid and make cloud animals or sneak Oreos or something similarly silly. But we also have serious talks. I remember having some good ones when I came back from New Mexico and was so incredibly depressed and heartbroken. She was kind and wise and *listened* to what I had to say. And she never faulted me for being so in love, never insinuated, as so many others did, that a guy was the reason I went out there. She believed I loved THE PLACE first and that was the reason I left, not because of the person I loved. She made me feel like I wasn't stupid and wasn't too little to be loved, and she really sympathized for what I was feeling, even though even I was tired of being so depressed.

Anyway...
I just love her. And we've always been close. She's partially responsible for raising me, during the summers when mom was working and sundays for dinners and things....and when mom had to go somewhere I couldn't go when I was little. I remember Sesame Street with her, walks around downtown Antioch and trips to the mall with her and Aunt Gene....sleepin' in her bed when I'd sleep over and listening to the gurgling tummy sounds....Wheel of Fortune....EVERY.NIGHT. (this is why i'm so good at the game. every.night.)

She's an amazing person. She charms the socks off most everyone she meets. Many, many people ask me if they can borrow her, and I feel lucky I get to see her all the time.

And I'm not too proud to admit I still ask her for kisses before bed since she's here and that sometimes, I'll rest my head on her lap so she can scratch my head like she always has. If that's silly and childish, fine. I'll take it. :)
Speaking of, it's almost time to go down after the news to say goodnight.

But yeah, I think....this makes sense.
She's my grandma. She's known me forever, since longer than I knew anyone real well.
And yeah, we're close. Never...never mess with my grandma. You will be harmed.
:)
Not that anyone would want to, I can't fathom it.
Ooo, i really need a grandma hug. Buh-bye, blog people.