Memories of Grandma...

Tonight, I am paying tribute to Elaine Roth.  My dad's mom.  My grandma.  She passed away today.  And while I know this blog will fall terribly short of doing her justice, I am just going to share some of what's been on my mind.

When I was a kid, we went to South Dakota several times a year.  We would spend time visiting my mom's side of the family (which I think I will blog about another time), and then we would spend time visiting dad's side.  When we were with the Roth's, we were at Grandma's house.  The farm.  I have so many great childhood memories of that place:

• I got to ride my first horse (with a very cute ranch hand):
  
 
• She made the BEST Root Beer floats.  She would make them for all of us, and she mixed them.  By hand.  And even though Mom would do everything the same way when we got back to Texas, there was always just something special about Grandma's. 
• Hanging out with the cousins.  And there were ALOT of therm.
  

• We would play outside and run around the farm.  We would pick cherries.  We would play in the creepy basement.  We would play hide and seek and tag.  We would play "Bloody Murder".  And we would LAUGH!!
• We would have to get to say the rosary together as a family.  And while we always feared making a mistake in front of her, and we always wondered what new prayer she would add, we always knew where she stood.  She was a woman of great faith, and she modeled that for us every day.
• When we got older we didn't visit as often, and we didn't run around playing games.  But we would drive 3 wheelers and 4 wheelers.  We would talk and tell stories.  And we would LAUGH!!
• When we became "grown-ups" we had less and less opportunities to visit.  But she came to our weddings (though she wasn't in good enough health to make it to Josh's).
  
• The last time I got to see her was the summer of 2010.  We had a family reunion, and almost everyone was there.  We had SO much fun!!  And while it had been YEARS since I had seen most of them, it was as if no time had gone by at all.  And we had the chance to take a 4-generation picture.  The only picture I have of Grandma with both kids.
  

Grandma I love you, I miss you, and I am proud to be your granddaughter.