A Tribute to Grandma Bruns

On Thursday around 2:30 PM Eastern Standard Time my Grandma Bruns passed away. She was my last living grandparent and a very special lady to me. There is something about loss - it is just hard. It does not matter how old anyone is, loss is still hard. It was expected. She was 90, I believe, and her health was slowly deteriorating. But even though it is expected, it does not make the loss or pain easier. And being in Tokyo, thousands of miles away, the grief is different for me. In some ways it does not seem real and I feel a bit disconnected from my family. But in truth, I know it is real. I got to talk to her this week, say goodbye, even though she could not verbally talk back to me. My mom said she did acknowledge me which makes me smile. In some ways I wish I could have seen her in the last two years. In other ways, I am glad my memories of her most recently are of her in good health, playing with Miyako at her baptism. I wish I could fly home for the service, just for four days, and if I did not have a baby on the breast, I would. But it is too much for the K Man for just four days and M is in a bit of transition with yochien and I feel like I need to be here for that. So, since I cannot be there in the flesh, I thought I would write a little tribute to my Grandma.

My Grandma was a very strong woman. She lived through more trials than anyone I have ever known. Her dad passed away when she was very young and she was forced to take care of her brothers while her Mom worked. All she has known is being a caretaker. She got married young, and she had 10 KIDS! Can you imagine? Ten Kids?! I often think of her when I am going nuts with two and wonder "how on earth did she do it?" She left a legacy - 10 kids, lots of grandkids (over 20) and lots of great grandkids. She was even pregnant with one of her kids when my Grandpa was called to clean up crew in the navy for Pearl Harbor.

It is the memories though that I will cherish most - lots of fun memories...

Fishing at the lake, teaching me how to make scrambled eggs, calling her to tell her I was "sick" when she was visiting - sweet Grandma would come pick me up from school and we would make chocolate chip pineapple cookies (I know, they sound gross but are delicious) and homemade noodles. The woman could cook, let me tell you. I loved her fried potatoes and requested them every time I went to her house. She loved to play games - we played aggravation, euchre, and backgammon as our favorites. Grandma and I were always partners in euchre. It used to make my Grandpa so mad when we beat him and my mom. We always sat on the "crack" along the kitchen table and would double high five when we got points. Ice cream - her house always had loads of ice cream. Marion's pizza and Friendly's were our favorite places to eat together in Dayton. I always looked forward to spring break and summer vacation when I would spend weeks at a time at her house. There are tons more, and I am sure the rest of her grandchildren could add to this list forever. She loved...and she loved well. And she will be missed. But, I am grateful she is out of pain and reunited with my Grandpa. Even so, it still does not make it easier.

Grandma Bruns, I love you dearly. I am so grateful that God put you in my life. You loved me well. I loved your home, the trailer and lake, and your spit fire personality. The memories with you will forever be in my heart and I will tell my children lots of fun stories about our times together. May the Lord bless you and keep you sweet Grandma.


Grandma