Miss You Grandma!

On September 21st, my grandma passed away. She is known affectionately as "Smith" in our family because "Great Grandma Smith" just never stuck with Annabelle and Paige. Paige decided "Great Grandma Smith" would be "Smith," and it just so happened that "Smith" LOVED this cute new nickname!

I have been close to Smith ever since I can remember. She spent my childhood living in Pocatello, ID, but my family visited frequently. Surprisingly I was just as close to my Pocatello cousins as those living in Utah (my cousins lived right next door to Smith). Some of my favorite memories of Smith during my childhood years include:

Christmas mornings in her basement with all my cousins. When we woke up Christmas morning, the pile of presents was massive! It was such a sight, and I loved it. Smith was great at sewing, and I remember one Christmas she made all the granddaughters "Quillows"-- a "Pillow" that turned into a blanket. I can't imagine how long she must've worked on those--12 Granddaughters!

Raiding her downstairs freezer for big ziploc baggies full of chocolate chip cookies! All us grandkids have such great memories of these cookies! Every time we went to grandma's, there were cookies, even up until her last day. I'm sitting here crying thinking about those Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies that were sitting on her counter the day she passed away. She also kept boxes of Ding-Dongs and Hostess Cupcakes on hand all the time. These too were frozen from time-to-time, or sitting out on the counter, expired :) The Relief Society made my family sack lunches after the funeral; tucked in each one was a Hostess Cupcake--so thoughtful.

Eating breakfast at the kitchen bar. Smith always made toast and had an entire cupboard filled with good cereal. I used to get my bowl, and then open the silverware drawer with great anticipation, hoping to see a clean Pluto spoon--everyone loved those silver Disney spoons!

Walking down the hallway within minutes of arriving to see all the new pictures of my cousins, aunts and uncles. Smith always had the most recent school pictures of all her grandkids framed in her hall. I loved seeing everyone's cute pictures. She truly loved her family so much, and everyone thought they were her favorite!

Her Hot Pink blow dryer, Avon face cream and Aqua Net hairspray. I would always sneak up to her bathroom and "borrow" these items. She always smelled so good! My mom once wore that same Avon face cream, and when she went in to kiss Brady goodnight, he said, "Are you Grandma?" :) He recognized the smell immediately!

Extended-Stay Summer visits! Each Summer, we would get to spend a week at her house. It was our week to have all of grandma's attention, including a trip to the mall. We loved it, and it was definitely one of the summer's highlights.

Sunday dinners. Between her amazing cooking skills and Grandpa's novel-length prayers, there was enough good food and entertainment for an hour! I especially loved one prayer in which Grandpa blessed that we would travel home safely, then proceeded to recite our exact full address :)

Dancing in the basement on the fireplace to music playing in her large yellow boombox, lighting provided by her "spotlight" lamp. She loved to watch me and my cousins dance. We danced in her basement, in her front yard, and at our family reunion every year. She would also travel to Utah to watch our performances and competitions. When my family entered her "TV room" for a blessing shortly after her death, that yellow boombox sat on the floor in a corner, and that same lamp sat on her desk. So many wonderful memories, yet so unbelievably sad at the same time.

The "Twin Beds." I remember lying in one of the twin beds at night, covered by an electric blanket and a second, homemade quilt, listening to the sound of a passing train in the complete darkness. The blankets smelled wonderful, just like her! We always slept so good. When multiple cousins were there, we always tried to "Call" the twin beds. I have one of those blankets on my bed now, and I can still smell her.

Playing House in the orchard. Smith had a large orchard next to her house. We would all go out and choose our "rooms," then rake and clean those rooms. We spent hours out there!

When I went to Ricks College, Brittany and I would often go to Smith's for the weekend, and would always stop in if we were traveling all the way home--most of my roommates knew her :)

She would offer to give you anything in her house if you showed an interest :) I remember several times asking about a book I saw on her coffee table, or a book she was currently reading. She would always say, "You should take it with you." One time I was just trying to have a conversation w/ her about her current book, and she wouldn't let me leave without it...even though she wasn't even finished. "I can finish it any time..." :)

After my Grandpa passed away she moved to Utah. She lived 7 minutes from my mom, which was MUCH, MUCH better! It's funny because even though it was sad to have her leave that house in Pocatello, Grandma's house still felt like Grandma's house! The only exception was that she now had to lock her door :) Each time I entered her house, I saw the cross-stitched pillow hanging on the wall: "There's No Place like Grandma's." I was always greeted by a "Come in, sit down, how are you?" Shortly after that she would ask if I was hungry or thirsty. It's funny because I often said no, but would always make my way over to the corner of her kitchen that had all the twinkies, Hostess Cupcakes and Ding Dongs. Why did I ever say no? I remember telling Brittany once that no matter what diet I was trying to adhere to, I couldn't leave grandma's without eating some Hostess product--I just had to!

I have had the amazing opportunity to be close to her my entire life, and thankfully I have been able to see more of her since she moved here. I frequently spent time with her on Fridays--"Hair Day." My mom, sister and I (and kids) would wait for her while she got her hair done, then we'd take her grocery shopping. After shopping, we'd pick a Drive-thru and meet back at her place to eat. I always felt good after a visit to her house, like there was no better way to spend my time. And I always left thinking, "I need to come here even more often."

On the morning of September 21st, Brittany called to tell me that she had passed away, that my mom had found her and was at her house with the paramedics. It was devastating. Smith had been fine, my mom had just seen her, made her dinner and watched a little TV w/ her the night before. It was a total shock. Josh came home from work so I could leave, and I went to be with my family. It was one of the hardest days I can remember: Driving to her house, knowing she wouldn't be inside, walking inside and not hearing her voice, standing in her house but not feeling her presence, seeing all her food left in the fridge, her coats and clothes left in the closets, her bed where she last lay, and the empty pink chair--the absolute worst sight ever. I immediately missed her SO much, and would've given anything to see or hear her again. My dad gave my mom an amazing blessing that I will never forget, and my family experienced such a sadness (and powerful witness) that I will also never forget. We spent the remainder of the day crying. The nexy day as we were leaving Smith's, Annabelle said "Bye Smith," and it broke my heart. When we took Annabelle into the viewing, it was such a sweet/sad experience. She immediately recognized her, and then whispered "Night Night Smith." She thanked her for all the candy, told her she loved her and blew her a kiss, and everything she said was in a whisper. She still talks about Smith in Heaven, that she's night-night with her "Princess Veil." Tonight she even asked me to "pray for Smith." I can honestly say that she was the woman (her and my mom) that I look up to the most in my life. I have been blessed to know her, to have her in my life and in Annabelle's life, and to have been close to her. She is definitely the most righteous woman I know, and was always such an amazing example to me. She embodied love and service, and everyone who knew her will tell you the same. She is missed terribly, and my only hope is that I can honor her by adopting her attributes to become a better person.

Her funeral was extremely sad, but beautiful. All the memories and stories were wonderful. She made such a remarkable impact on all her children and grandchildren, as well as those she served in the church and community. I know she had imperfections, but she will always be perfect to me--the perfect grandma! It is still hard to believe she is gone, though I will see her again. I still feel her close to me, and I still try to convince myself she's sitting in her pink chair when I drive by her house. I still believe her home will always be there, though it will soon be sold. I so wish Annabelle could've continued to get to know her, which I guess is why I'm writing this novel post! But I know she's happy; I know she's moved on; I know I'll see her again, and I know I am and will be a better person for having her in my life.

Leota Thomas Smith 1914 ~ 2009 Leota Thomas Smith, 95, passed away September 21, 2009 at her home in Bluffdale, Utah.She was born July 4, 1914 in Malad City, Idaho to David Dredge Thomas and Sarah Claudia Richards Thomas. She was the oldest of four children. She graduated high school in Malad and attended one year at Utah Agriculture College in Logan, Utah. On September 19, 1935 she married Samuel Wayne Smith in the Salt Lake City Temple. They were happily married for 66 years at the time of her husband's death. Leota loved being involved in church and community service. She was a long time member of the University Park Daughters of Utah Pioneers and was a member of the Pocatello Literary Club. She was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and held numerous positions. She was Relief Society President; Stake Young Women's President and organized the first library in the Pocatello 6th Ward. Leota was a gifted gardner and loved her roses and other flowering plants. Her talent for quilting and sewing were unmatched. She loved music and loved to play her piano and organ, but only privately. She was a great cook, and was known for her homemade chicken noodle soup. Leota is survived by her children: Sharon Lee Smith Gustavson of Titusville, PA; Kathryn Annette Smith Miller of Pocatello, ID; Scott Wayne Smith (Allyn) of Pocatello, ID; Wendy Sue Smith Nielsen, of Bluffdale, UT; Kristine Kay Smith Nielsen (Anders) of Riverton, UT; 21 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren. Leota is preceded in death by her husband, Samuel Wayne Smith, her parents David Dredge Thomas, and Sarah Claudia Richards Thomas, her brothers Grant Thomas and Maurice Thomas and sister Maurine Thomas Hughes West, and by an infant daughter, Gaylyn Smith. Leota was loved by many and will be missed! She left a great legacy of good works and selfless service.

"A ship sails and I stand watching till she fades on the horizon and someone at my side says
She is gone.
Gone where? Gone from my sight, that is all.
She is just as large now as when I last saw her.
Her diminished size and total loss from my sight is in me, not in her.
And just at that moment, when someone at my side says she is gone, there are others who are
watching her coming over their horizon and other voices take up a glad shout-
There she comes!"

Bye Smith;
We Love You!!