2nd week of November: I am thankful for my heritage and who came before me.
I’m a bit late in posting my “i am thankful” series post- but for a good reason. I wanted this post to also honor a very special person in my life. 10 years ago today I lost my grandmother. Just typing out that it has been 10 years blows me away… When I think of what has happened in my life in the past 10 years, and that I haven’t been able to share it personally with her bums me out…
If you are new to my blog, or haven’t been following along for a long time a quick catch up- I am an only child, only grandchild. I come from a very small family, which now really only consists of my Dad and I. Growing up I wasn’t very close with my mother or her family. This all boils down to the fact that I spent A LOT of time with my gram. Weekends, and church, lake days, her coming to my house for holidays, going to her NAMI meetings, or sitting outside of her Eastern Star meetings etc.
I know that even though she is no longer here- she is and always will be with me. I know that she sees what I am up to and she is proud. I remember running into people from her church and how they would always comment ” Your gram is so so so proud of you… she talks about you all the time.”
I look back on my time with her, and the talks we shared, and stories she told with such love. I know that I am who I am today because a lot of what she was as a person. She and my grandfather divorced just as my dad left high school. She remained single the rest of her life. She was very independent, she was busy with all kinds of organizations she was part of, taking care of my aunt, traveling the world alone- and generally just being a strong independent female. I am luck to have all of her photos, and there are A LOT! I look forward to this thanksgiving as Chris and I will be hosting my dad in the lofts- we are going to go through my grams photos and mementos and hopefully get some order to them.
Gram was a beach girl too! That is her on the left. She and I spent a lot of time at all the beautiful lakes in NH and along the coast in NH and Maine.
Above she is the little girl to the far right. Below are some pictures of my gram with her mom and sister. (In the first picture she is on the left, and on the right in the 2nd picture)
Below is a picture of her and her Dad. He passed away when she was a young girl. She always would speak so fondly of him.
She went to nursing school in Vermont. I have many of her letters and telegrams where she was homesick and missed from her family at home in Concord, New Hampshire. Below is a picture of her, my dad and my aunt Charlotte.
I clearly got my love for animals and pets from her. Below is a picture of her cocker spaniel, Judy. I have almost “baby pics” of Tippy each month as she grew up. She was definitely her “baby” before she was married and started a family. I have pictures of all the pets my Dad had growing up, she documented it all.
I know this post became a little photo heavy- but I’m excited that I can now access her photos easier, and it was so easy to just snap some pics of them with my iphone. I hope you enjoy them!
Feel free to share with me what you are thankful for. If you are blogging your thankful thoughts feel free to use my banner image from above or download the facebook cover photo I designed and USE IT! (note: right click the image, and choose save image)
Just found your blog today via instagram actually. Sooo loved this post. I moved back home to NEw England this y ear and have been working on my geneology and ancestry for the last 4 yrs with my fiance who is retuired and a New England historian and geneologist for last 40+ yrs , along with being a retired 20 yr Navy veteran. Seeing the great care and order you have taken of your gram and great gram photos and how beautiful they are touched my heart. Most of my family has passed away, and as the only one of my relatives seemingly interested to put work into our family tree, this year some of the older generation photos are being passed on to me.. Each one has become so precious. Thank you for being so personal and sharing these photos and your heart with all who happen upon your blog. It made my day!
graciously, Cathy B
Thank you for sharing those special moments
Having all those photos is so great! I am so glad my mom was such a documentor. I have photos of everything from when I was growing up. Unfortunately my husband did not & does not even have a picture of him and his father before he passed on. I just know when I have a child I will be taking pictures of everything! I really should snap some iphone photos of all our old family photos before they fade to nothing. I tried to scan and it came out horribly.
YEs, I feel so lucky to have these 🙂 – def try snapping pics with your iphone I was impressed with how well they came out! 🙂
Awww…I wish I could have met your Gram. She seems like a great woman and role model. I hope there is a gram photo album next time I am at the lofts!
what a lovely tribute to a lovely woman, a strong, beautiful woman!! If you get a chance, listen to Paula Cole’s new song out off her new album Raven, called Strong Beautiful Woman, it is autobiographical, and one of the verses is about her being 10 years old in braids and skirts, running down the street to grandma’s house….you would love the song…..
awww nice Jenn! It’s so cool she liked the beach too!
Lovely old pictures. They are so fun to look at. We do that sometimes too with my mom, etc…
xo
Thank you for sharing your “Gram” with us, Jenn! Thinking there is not only a lot of physical resemblance but, she sounds like a woman with intelligence, purpose and kindness much like you! <3 the photos!