More Memories of Grandma

I am still waiting for more responses to our "Honoring Martha" series, so in the meantime you'll have to hear from me (Stacie) again. :-) Please send your responses in as soon as possible. We'd like to gather them and have them made into a booklet and have them ready to pass out at Grandma's memorial service. For details, click here. Also, we'd like to put some pictures up on the blog each day, so if you have any you'd like to contribute, please email them to me at staciemknapp@gmail.com, or put them up on your Facebook page and let me know that you did. I can take them from there. Thanks! ~Love, Stacie

Here is a list of my favorite memories of my lifetime with Grandma:

*I don't really remember it, but I've heard the stories so many times it feels like I remember it. When I was just a small child, Grandpa would often stop by my parent's house after work and take me home for the evening to spend time with him and Grandma. He'd tell my parents to pick me up later. I love that "memory."

*Every time Grandma and Grandpa would come to visit us in Treadwell, they'd always bring Amie, Shannon and I some sort of treat. The one that sticks out in my mind is a Hershey bar.

*Every time we were at a store, Grandma would give us each a dollar or two and it felt like a million bucks to us. And then she would patiently wait while we carefully chose our treasures to buy.

*I have so many memories of playing outside with Grandma - “riding down hill”, going "crickin", fishing, hiking, taking long walks, bonfires, catching fireflies.

Grandma O, Grandpa Harvey, Shannon (in front of the ladder), Stacie and Mike

*Going for long car rides, and her letting us drive when we got our driver's permits.

*The food! Grandma was such a good cook and baker. I loved everything she ever made, especially the dinners. My favorite desserts were chocolate oatmeal cookies and the gooey homemade chocolate sauce that got hard when you put it on ice cream. You could eat whenever you were hungry at Grandma's and she would always let you have a second bowl of ice cream if you wanted it! She loved to feed people and you never left her house hungry.

*One of my favorite things was spending the WHOLE weekend at Grandma's. We'd get there on a Friday night and couldn't wait for our parents to leave. After they did we hang out and talk with Grandma and Grandpa, eat, maybe watch TV or a movie. Then we'd watch the 11 o'clock news. Grandma always wanted to watch the news. After that we'd get all ready for bed, pull the couch bed out, and the unlucky ones who didn't get to sleep with Grandma on the couch bed built their beds around it. (She always marked on the calendar who got to sleep on the bed next). We'd read the Bible and pray. And then talk until Grandma could no longer stay awake and her responses were incoherent. On Saturdays we'd sleep in and then Grandma would make us a big breakfast of pancakes, bacon and eggs. Then we'd watch cartoons. After that we'd start our day full of adventure. On Saturday nights we'd either go to Unadilla and get pizza, or make our own homemade pizza. Then we'd watch or “help” as Grandma prepared her Sunday School lesson. I remember being sad on Saturday evening because the weekend was almost over. On Sunday morning we'd have Corn Flakes and head to church. Grandma always had some kid or some older lady to pick up before church. After church we'd go back to her house and my parents would usually come and have lunch with us. Then we had to go home. :-(

*Grandma loved to laugh along with us when we were playing or being silly. She always joined in our games – playing charades, board games, and of course, playing outside. She always took the time to listen to our stories, ideas or plans. To watch a skit, listen to a song, or read the newspaper we spent all afternoon creating.

*Grandma always let us help with anything we wanted to. She never told us we were too little. She always took the time to show us how to do anything we wanted to do.

Amie, Stacie, Shannon and Grandma

 *When I was young I was always writing stories and drawing pictures to go along with them. Grandma would sit next to me and listen intently as I read them to her. Then she'd tell me how good they were and how I'd make a good writer someday. She was so sincere and I always felt special because SHE believed I could do it.

*I loved listening to Grandma tell stories of what it was like to live poor after the Great Depression. She always said, “We were poor, but we never knew it.”

*Grandma would always drag a string across my face or tickle my arms for a long time, just because I enjoyed it.

*Easter Egg Hunts!

*Grandma was forever picking up sticks in the yard.

*Grandma helping us SCRUB the old shed out back so we could turn it into a playhouse.

*Going down to the Great American in Unadilla for some groceries. I have so many memories of Grandma in that store. Every time I go in there, or even drive by it, I think of Grandma.

*I was always in awe at how much energy Grandma had! She was always up for an adventure, always ready to go and do something.

*Grandma was never afraid of the dark, and she'd pick up bugs and dead things with her bare hands!

*Watching TV shows at Grandma's. She always seemed to like the same ones I did. Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Beauty and the Beast, and Paradise.

*Helping us tape record Grandpa snoring, because he wouldn't believe that he snored.

*How much she loved Grandpa. How much she missed him when he was gone.

Grandpa and Grandma!

*Whenever we'd leave, she'd stand in the doorway or on the front porch and wave until we were out of sight
*How peaceful and full of love her house always felt.

*Grandma reading her Bible and The Daily Bread every morning.

*How she was such a prayer warrior.

*Her giant print King James Bible. I can see it now....Worn pages, her little notes in small cursive writing, things underlined and dated. I loved that Bible!
*How much she loved children. All children! "Let the little children come unto me."
*I've always been aware that Grandma was, hands down, the best Christian I've ever known. But last night Galatians 5:22 & 23 struck me. """ " But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."" Grandma not only lived all these things, she personified all of them. She was the very fruit of the Spirit of the living God. And she inspires me to strive to be the same!

Grandma feeding my son Levi :-)

I love you Grandma, more than words can ever say! Thank you so much for all you gave to us, in word, in deed, and in all that you were. You lived your faith like no one I've ever known. Even now, in the last days of your life, you are encouraging and inspiring us to live and love and give, and to be all that God created us to be.