Circus Peanuts in the Freezer

Four years ago we spent our first holiday season without my mother-in-law, Donna.  She was a fantastic grandmother and the best mother-in-law a girl could dream for!  She died from emphysema.  The cruel joke of her generation... that smoking is good for you... promoted as a "healthy" habit for someone prone to anxiety and stress as Donna was.  Whenever my children see someone smoking or even hear the word "cigarette" they think of their grandma and how she died.
Donna was an amazing woman who was very artistic.  She drew, painted, sewed, crocheted, and crafted all kinds of things.  She loved involving her grandkids in anything she was doing and her house was set up so that the kids could rule when they were visiting.  She had games and paints, crayons and lots of extra paper.  She'd purchase craft kits and do them with the kids and then there was her garden.  She'd let the kids water and dig.  Her favorite word with her grankids was "yes!".  They all remember cinnamon toast cut into triangles... standard fare at grandma's house... and to this day cinnamon toast just wouldn't be the same if it isn't cut just so.
Every Halloween she kept the trick-or-treat candy in the freezer with the theory being that if it's frozen it will take longer to eat and perhaps it will last longer!  One of her favorites was Circus Peanuts, which we currently have in our freezer... reminding me whenever I open it about how much I miss her.
She was equally as good to us... her kids.  There was never any such things as "adopted", "step child", or "in-law" with her.  She treated everyone as if they had always belonged to her.  I miss being able to call her up to tell her something funny that the kids did or said and hearing her laugh on the other end of the line.
Two months before she died and one month before I knew she was ill (yep, somehow she managed to keep it from us) I wrote an entry in my journal titled, "Ten things I appreciate about you".  I made a list out for each of my parents and my husband's parents.  It was my intention to print it out and frame it and give it to her for Christmas that year.  She would've loved it but she probably would've kept it in her room as she was never one to want to bring attention to herself.  Maybe this will give you a better idea of who this remarkable woman was...

donna

What I Appreciate About You...

Donna

1. Positive attitude

2. Devotion to her grandchildren

3. Her artistic talent

4. Her ability to forgive

5. The thoughtfulness she puts into every gift

6. The joy she receives from her sons

7. Her giving nature

8. The hard knocks she took in life are lessons for me to help direct and protect my kids

9. Her sharp mind

10. Her ability to see right through me and love me anyway