My
Oma (my mom's mom) passed away suddenly this weekend. She has been living in a nursing home for many years now but her healthy quickly
deteriorated this weekend and she passed this morning around 4am. I wrote some memories last night and
would like to share them here.
There is much to remember and so much to be thankful for as we remember Oma and the way she shared her life with those around her. Each of us gives gifts of ourselves to those we share life with. These are gifts that no one can take away. Though we are gone, these gifts remain with those to whom we have given them. The memories that I have of my Oma and Opa are gifts that are irreplaceable and immeasurable to me. The memories that I hold near and dear to my heart are not those of extravagant things that my Oma and Opa did for me or gave me but those of the day to day things that turned out to mean so much.
Growing up across the street from my Oma and Opa for most of my life was such a blessing. I remember throughout my childhood that as soon as my sister and I heard the Ice Cream man’s song telling us he was on is way we booked it across the street where Oma was always waiting with her sour cream container full of change to buy us all a treat.
Oma and Opa babysat us allot when I was little and at the time still got milk from the milk man, when he came while we were over she would always make sure to get special chocolate milks that were just for us.
Because my parents got married and had babies so young they had to work very hard for everything, so my Mom wasn’t a stay at home mom. Fortunately, since we lived just across the street from Oma and Opa, they were always there to watch us and take care of us. Waking up on school days to Oma snoozing on our living room couch because mom had already left for work and Oma was there to get us ready for school was a regular occurrence. Opa would walk me to school and would always be faithfully waiting at the yellow gate for me when I was done to walk me home.
In the afternoons Oma and Opa would have their medeshlope, Opa sleeping on the couch and Oma on the love seat with the Low German church radio blearing. I remember spending afternoons watching The Andy Griffiths show, the wonder Years and, my Opa’s favorite, The Price is Right with them.
Oma always made us good Menno food and my favorite was her potato pancakes with as much sugar as we wanted.
When I was a teenager I would run over across the street when one of my favorite shows was on & Dad was hogging the TV- Oma would always let me watch whatever I wanted to.
We would often go to their house for dinners during the week & I remember my favorite was going over for Chinese food.
I remember lots of really good family gatherings at Oma and Opa's. One of my favorite things about Christmas family gathering there was that Oma really liked Bobart, a sweet bread and raisin stuffing, so I could count on it being on the table. I like it too so I really looked forward to that. The cousins and I would play in their basement, running and jumping trying to reach the tassels on the light fixtures, playing that board game with the pieces that you slide to get into the holes and watching movies. We would have family gatherings at their house in the summer time, under the carport with the uncles BBQing & drinking mate or tedede or else someone running over to get KFC and pop from the pop Shoppe. Many summer afternoons were spent playing in their yard & garden, eating fresh raspberries, apples, peas and carrots right out of the ground.
Whenever I had a fundraiser at school I could always count on Oma to buy something from me from chocolate covered almonds to wrapping paper.
Oma and Opa always supported me and I remember being, and still being, so touched when they came all the way down to the states for my baptism at a camp in Washington. Oma was so excited for me when I bought my first car… I crashed it the very day that I bought it and she never got to see it. I remember being so scared to tell her but when I did all she cared about was that I was ok.
I helped Oma and Opa with allot of things like going over to put Oma's pictures into photo albums, mowing their lawn or in later years taking Oma to Dr.s appointments or giving her pedicures.
I remember Oma always taking pictures while we were eating which I always thought was so weird but I now understand that that is when we were together as a family and I think those are the times that she wanted to remember.
I also remember her constantly sitting at her spot at the table, perched by the front window, watching the neighborhood and everything going by. She was the best neighborhood watch that we coudl have asked for!
Oma was pretty crafty and I remember watching her make slippers quite often. One time I decided that I wanted to learn how to knit and who better to teach me than my Oma, so we got the necessary things together and the lesson began… I guess I wasn’t a very good student because I still don’t know how to knit and I don’t actually remember completing a single stitch but in the end I wound up with a 10ft long scarf made by my Oma.
I always thought it was so cool that both of my sets of grandparents knew each other and often visited together. I am fortunate to still have my Grandma and Grandpa around and have felt, and still feel, lucky that my Grandpa can tell me stories about my Oma and Opa. I feel so blessed that I was able to form relationships with all of my grandparents and the selfless love that they showed to me, the gift of herself that my Oma gave to me, is one that will remain in my heart forever. I will always remember my Oma, from her loving spirit and the way that she hugged and kissed me to the many, many things she did for me, helping in raising me up to be the woman I am today.
I trust that Oma peacefully passed into the Lord’s presence and I know that she is happy and safe now, in heaven, with Jesus and my Opa. She is in a place where there is no suffering and she is surrounded only by love. Come to think of it, all three of them are probably sitting under some carport, sipping on yerba mate or tedede and watching the people go by... & watching over me.