24 years ago today.....

I was sitting at a high school retreat for the weekend. We had just had breakfast and had gone in to have our morning devo time when the phone in the dinning hall rang. This was unusual because really no one called unless there was a problem. I looked at my friend and said...."that's for me" and a feeling of dread washed over me. I remember Johnny Adams answering the phone and then looked at me briefly, turned his head and said he would get me there. He hung up the phone and called me over...."Denise, your grandmother has had a heart attack. We have to get you back to Kaufman now."

The next hour or so flew by as we literally flew back home. I remember being in a daze. The ride was a blur. I remembered seeing my Granny earlier that week. She had been in ICU with chest pain, but had been moved to a regular room and was expected to go home over the weekend. She had been so excited when I had visited because my picture was in the paper. Homecoming was the next weekend and I was on the homecoming court. She couldn't quit talking about it! She smiled and assured me she was feeling so much better and would be home by the time I got back from my weekend trip......

Then we were at the hospital. My whole family was there. All my cousins were there too. Everyone had been in to see Granny but only one at a time. She had had a massive heart attack and was very critical. I was next. When the next time came to allow visitors, I was first to go.....they had been waiting on me. I started walking back to her room and again, dread rushed over me.....then all the alarms went off. I never made it in the door to see her. The nurses rushed in....Mom or Dad....I'm not sure which....pulled me back to the waiting room.....and my grandmother died....I saw my daddy cry....and life changed.

I miss her everyday. She was a tough lady. I often hear how she was tough on my dad and his siblings. She had to overcome so many struggles. She had a husband that didn't work often. My pawpaw was not an easy man to live with! His idol was John Wayne and he lived like that rough and tough cowboy. She had 5 children, two of which were twins. She never drove. She walked everywhere. She made a little house feel warm and big! My fondest memory of Granny is her huge hugs when I would walk in her house. You could not get by her without a bear hug. She was a small woman but had a tight grip when she hugged you! Another memory is her walking me the few blocks to the store to by "mem-n-mems" aka M&Ms. She loved her roses and she wore beautiful aprons and bonnets.

My mom and dad tell me I am a lot like her. I am about the only one who gets to talk to my dad the way I do, and Mom says it is because of how much like Granny I am! I miss her. I miss her unconditional love. She loved BIG. She loved no matter what. Twenty-four years ago today, I lost my Granny.