Happy Four Months, Artichoke.
I’m adding a post from my mobile phone! A great addition to help me stay Connected! It is a bit awkward this way, but it looks like I can do most everything I can on the regular computer
For Midwinter Break we visited the California Milmans in LA. Uncle Jeff, Aunt Lee, Tessa, Raylin, Ari, and your second cousin Christiana. Here you are after meeting for the first time.
And here you are meeting Tessa for the first time. Mommy calls what you are doing in this video, “chirping.” It is my all time favorite video of you so far.
I hadn’t been in Los Angeles for over 20 years, so I was eager to see what I could of the city. We spent time in Thousand Oaks (where Uncle Jeff and Aunt Lee live), the Lemon Groves in Camarillo, Highland Park (Tessa and Ari), and Santi Monica where your Great Grandma Rebecca lives. Gramie is in her 90s. Unfortunately she doesn’t recognize anyone and can’t really string together a logical sentence these days, but it was good to meet her for the first time. Right when I saw her I could see her eyes, and Pop Pop’s Milman eyes, in you.
On the plane trip home you took the rattle in one hand and put it into your mouth, the signs of a new developmental stage for you. You also love to grab my arm hair when I’m holding you and lately you’ve been grabbing my sleeves when you are on the changing table getting a new diaper.
On February 7th I flew home by myself to be with my family and see Great Grammy Nell Sterrenberg put to rest in Crescent City, IL. It was good to be with my family even though it was because of her death, we celebrated the life of Grammy Nell and how much she was a part of our lives. Her casket was open for the visitation, where her friends and loved ones could see her one last time. The Spenns and Peabodys stood in a line greeting the guests, accepting their sympathies, and hearing the good things they had to say about her. At the funeral, the officiant Chris Lentz had each of the four grandsons share memories we have of Grammy. Andy told a story of how, when Andy and Jacob saw a snake in the garden, Grammy took a shovel and hacked the poor snake to pieces. Grammy would do anything for us. Jacob shared how Grammy had a life of significance as opposed to some who choose to have lives of success over significance. Jonathan told how Grammy and Grandpa were good models of saving and living below one’s means. I shared my Top 5 memories of Grammy.
5. Looking at the Atlas: Whenever I would see Grammy, we would visit about where in the world I (or others in our family) had been. I would get the large atlas from under the cushion of her chair and we’d sit at the kitchen table and just look at the atlas.
4. Pizza Parties and Pancakes: I have many memories of blueberry pancakes and family pizza parties at Monicals. Most times it was to celebrate something like a birthday, graduation, anniversary, but I remember having pizza as a family often. The pancake tradition I have continued with our family.
3. Getting Letters from Grammy: Grammy was a great letter writer. She sent birthday cards to us all with checks or cash in them. She also just sent random letters that shared what was happening in Crescent City. I’ll include one sometime. I loved the letters, but I loved the stickers on the letters and checks even more. It was simple, but it was a way to add a little more color and joy to an ordinary envelope. I also try to continue the sticker-sticking tradition in everything in my life…..papers to my students, letters to people, and notes to Mommy around the house.
2. Christmasses: On most Christmas Days, after our respective families exchanged gifts and went to church, we would all go to Crescent City for the big family get together. The stockings were bulging with trinkets for all of us, and we’d go around opening presents, usually from youngest to oldest. Then Grammy would lay down pallets of blankets in the living room and the four grandsons would have a little sleepover next to the tree. There were some days when we would be snowed in and couldn’t make it back to Watseka the next day. Those were the best……building forts, being towed in the sled behind the snowmobile, and digging tunnels.
1. Waving Goodbye: I described the way Grandpa and Grammy waved goodbye to us in an earlier post, standing together as we drove away, waving with both hands. I will remember Grammy Nell the most that way, standing at her door waving goodbye.
It is hard to understand the finality of death, especially with Grammy Nell who has been alive for so long and been a part of my life since before I was born. I know that everyone has to die, but the fact that I can’t talk to her anymore and won’t get any more notes from her still makes me sad. I am glad I called her often, sent letters, and made my visits as frequent and valued as I could. Life goes on, and my life is better because of the love that Grammy shared with me. I hope I can give the same to you, little Busy.
Love, Daddy