My Grandma Bodell has had Alzheimer's disease since I can remember but it has gotten worse the past 5 or 6 years. She fought a long battle with the disease and this morning she passed away. She has been getting worse and worse for a while now. Yesterday my aunt sent out an email saying that Grandpa was asking us to pray that was Heaven was ready for her she was ready. I guess our prayers were heard. She will be greatly missed here but I am so happy that her painful journey here on earth is over. I know she is now rejoining her family in heaven and they are happily welcoming her with open arms.
Before her Alzheimer's effected her to much I had the opportunity of living on a ranch with my grandparents. I am so grateful for that time that I got to spend with her while she was still herself.
She had such a strong impact on my life and the person I am today. My love of music came from her for sure. I have perfect memories of her singing and dancing. I also spent many hours of my life watching Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Shirley Temple movies with her. I still know most of those songs by heart.
She spent lots of time reading books and telling stories. She was the greatest story teller. Some of my favorites were the Boy Who Cried Wolf and The 3 Little Pigs. My favorite books she read were by far the Berenstain Bears. The only problem was that she also had sleep apnea so she would just fall asleep in the middle of telling a story or reading a book so we usually had to wake her up once or twice and remind her where in the story she was.
I never had a doubt that my Grandma loved me so much. She was a major worrier. She always wanted to make sure she did everything she possibly could to protect us. I always remember at the ranch her sticking her head out the apartment window and yelling at us "Put your shoes on" "Don't go outside with wet hair" "Don't stand on that table". It was her way of showing us she cared. Most the time we would just roll our eyes and run away.
I specifically remember once when I was probably 13 years old. I had a huge crush on my cousins neighbor (Joey). Joey came to the ranch with my cousin Tiffany to visit. We were playing games at my grandmas house. My grandma was setting up our beds for the night. She came in and right in front of Joey and Tiffany asked me if I needed plastic sheets in case I wet the bed. I was MORTIFIED. Of course I just tried to play if off cool and tell her I don't have a bed wetting problem, but I was so mad at her.
Another time I remember is when my family moved back to the ranch the 2nd time when I was just getting ready to start 7th grade. Grandma was very worried about me making friends.
She insisted that I needed to invite one of my 2nd cousins (April) that lived up the road to come down and go roller blading. Not only had I never been roller blading in my life but I had also never met this cousin and I was stubborn and did not need my Grandmas help making new friends. We did not go roller blading but I did end up going to a young women's activity with April. She ended up being my best girlfriend in high school and to this day we are still great friends. So thank you Grandma for worrying about me so much.
My Grandparents are the perfect example of a perfect marriage to me. They just adore and praise each other constantly. I know the past years have been so hard for my Grandpa who had to watch the love of his life loose every memory they shared together. To this day he would probably say the best part of his day it laying in bed with her holding her hand. I was lucky enough to go visit them this morning before she passed away and there my Grandpa was holding her hand until the very end he said to me, "It has been a wonderful life!" as he watched her leave this life here on earth. He lights up so much when he talks about her. He always refers to her as his sweetheart. I always think to myself what a great wife she must have been for him to talk about her the way he does. I know my Grandpa will miss her so much but he is so happy that he gets to be with her forever. He is happy that her suffering has ended and that she is with her family in heaven now. I am so grateful to have been born into a family with such strong unity. I know my Grandma was the one who always pushed family functions and reunions. My cousins and family members are my best friends and I owe that to her. Our wedding day May 2009
Milo meeting his Great Gma and Gpa
Thank you Grandma for being a wonderful Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, and Friend. I can't wait till my husband and children get to see you tap dance while singing "On the Good Ship" one day. I love you and miss you.
