Grandma Fran and Grandpa Louis

I am not trying to be morbid or anything, but Amaya has been talking about death, a lot, lately. I know it is her developmental stage and how they are really understanding what death means, so I try and talk to her about it as it really is. She has it figured out that the order in our house is as follows; Scott, me, Amaya, Jake, and then Ryan. It goes on age you know! "Ryan is the luckiest because he is going to be here the longest, because he is the youngest".

So, the other day, as we were driving and she was talking about dying, again. We just happened to be driving past the SL cemetary, so I told them about my grandparents and that their bodies were buried there and that their souls went up to Heaven after they were buried. "Will we ever see them again?" asked Amaya. "Yes, when we die, we will go to Heaven too and we will see them again". This brought up many, many more questions that I didn't want to deal with at the time, because we were on our way to choir, which is like 2 minutes away from the cemetary, so I changed the subject.

As we were driving to the park today, and going past that cemetery, Jake said, "I want to see where your g-ma and g-pa are buried." Alright, so we pulled in. I showed them their burial site and head stone. I, of course, had my camera because we were going to the park, and who doesn't love a picture of their kids at the park, so I took a few shots.

My g-ma and g-pa Kramer were the best. It always bugged me that we didn't grow up here, but when we did come back, or when we visited, we always loved to go to their house. They were so nice, and they always played with you, went for walks, and just spent time with you. I don't even know how many times I fished off their dock, grandma helping me and grandpa sitting in his chair. Countless times she took me to look for and pick cattails, find duck eggs, help me find clams, or whatever else that I wanted to do. They had this closet that was filled with games and would play any one that you wanted, for however long you wanted. Grandma knew how to play any card game, and had the patience to teach you. I remember the smell of their house when you walked in, especially when they were cooking dinner, and they always had something for dessert after the dinner. They helped me so much when I had to purchase my first car, they helped me pay for some college tuition. Oh, I can't forget the quarters... She always just happened to have a cup full of quarters when you visited, not just a little cup, like rolls of quarters. Just so you wouldn't have to go get them for yourself when you had to bring your clothes to the laundromat. If you didn't go to the laundromat and happened to do some laundry at their house, it always smelled soooo good. I don't know what type of soap they used, but I could never get that scent anywhere else.

They had this drawer in their kitchen, the end drawer. It was know as The Candy Drawer to all the grandkids and they kept little candy bars in it. I don't think it was ever empty, there was always at least one in there. Grandma Fran was quite funny. She always had little games, with prizes, at Christmas, or played funny pranks at wedding showers and baby showers. If we were fighting, she'd clap her hands and say "here, here" to get us to stop. I always thought that was funny. She'd let us sleep in her king size bed with her if we wanted, she'd let us play with her jewelry. I remember playing with this necklace that had a big owl on the end of it.

I am the youngest of all the grandkids on the Kramer side, and always felt like I was a twinkle in Grandpa's eye. I just always felt that for some reason I was just his little peanut. He would have me on his lap and laugh at me, and say "Awe, you're just a little pill"

Looking back, I wish I would have spent more time with them, I wish I would have brought Amaya to visit them. She was only 8 months old when Grandma passed. I took Amaya to see her the night before she passed and took pictures of her with Amaya.

They were just good, nice people to anyone. I really miss them and wish that they could have met my kids and been coherent enough to really know Scott. They would really like him.

I don't go to the grave site. I tried soon after they were buried and it made me cry and I didn't know what to say. I think of them so often, especially when I am driving past the cemetery. It is those times that I talk to them and believe that they hear me. I told the kids that their bodies are buried there and that their souls are up in Heaven, that is what I believe and that is why I don't usually go to the grave site. They hear me whenever I talk to them. Today, it was at the cemetery with my boys. Right now it is while I am typing this. I miss you and love you grandma and grandpa!

Grandpa's birthday is this month, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDPA.