A year ago today...

One year ago today my grandmother saw her beautiful Savior face-to-
face. Today has been filled with joy and sadness inside. I miss my
grandmother.

I am named for my grand mother. I was very close to her because we
spent many many days together while my mother, who was newly
divorced,work. She has always been one of my very best friends.

So today here are some things I'm missing about my grandmother...

I miss calling her Honey.

I miss the way she would "wooohooo" to let us know where she was.

I miss how she would dance the "Sumter Jump" at most family functions
( we all LOVE to dance!!).

I miss how people would look at us strangely when I would call out
"Honey" and my little grandmother would come:)

I miss how she knew EVERYONE in Birmingham.

I miss how she would cook her famous biscuits special for our family
on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I miss how she would send me cards with the date written out...the
ninth day of March...on the first page.

I miss how she loved and cared for her roses and her garden. She did
ALL the rose topiary trees at my wedding reception!!!

I miss how seeing just one bluebird would make her week.

I miss how she was "Big Frances (standing 5 feet tall) and I was
called "Little Frances (standing at 5 foot 8)!

I miss how I was the only one who could wear her amazingly beautiful
clothes and shoes...yet now I have them for my own. I still wear a
grey sweatshirt with her I initials on it at my house. Boy...I miss her.

I miss how she would read her Bible EVERY morning and pray the Lord's
prayer every night. She is the one who taught me to pray.

I miss how when I was little and we would hear the trains go by...she
would tell me to thank the Lord I wasn't on it!

I miss how she was the one who made meals for the nuns...she was
Catholic.

I miss how everyone loved Frances Cole.

I miss the way she would go overboard on presents...and would have the
classic excited response to every one she opened. Everyone in my
family can mimic it! I'm smiling thinking of it:)

I miss her South Carolina drawl.

I miss how she always smelled of Jergens cherry almond lotion...so
much so that last summer I bought some to wear myself. And my kids
love the way I smell...and I know it's because of her.

I miss how much she loved us all...and especially me.

Oh how I miss her today.

Many people will never understand how someone could be so close to
their grandmother. That makes me sad that so many people don't have
that closeness. It is a gift.

Everyone in my family knows she and I had something special...they say
I was her favorite. But, I know that she and I shared times when I was
just a little girl going through a pretty rough time...and she was
there.

Never underestimate the time you invest in children.

They know.

They remember the way you smell...if you get close enough and are
around enough. They will remeber how you danced...if you are joyful
around them. They will remember how you talked...if you take time to
share and relate to them. They know.

Honey...you set a high bar for me. I pray that my own girls and
grandchildren and great grandchildren will remember me so well. You
were one in a lifetime! I'm just grateful it was MY lifetime...

I love you,
Frances
The ninth day of March, two thousand and ten.