I don't know how to capture the fullness in my heart from this incredible woman and put it into words. In my inadequate but sincere attempt, I'd have to first express my deepest gratitude to her generous and gracious family who shared her with us and as much as she was "adopted" as our Grandma, her family has been like family to us as well.
My earliest recollection of Mrs. Mary Schmidt is seeing her sitting at our kitchen table in our house in Rosenfeld. I probably had just turned seven years old. She was a tall woman with white, her signature coiffed hair with its waves and rolls, and her ever-present dress. (I'm not sure if I've ever seen her wear pants other than the snow pants she wore for walking in winter and clearing the snow from her driveway.) From what I understand, she had heard about our family situation (my Mom being hospitalized with a serious but undiagnosed illness) and she came to offer her assistance to our household. She had spent several years with another family in Altona who had been in a similar situation, where a mother with young children had battled cancer.
She wasn't "Grandma" at first. She spent a lot of time at our home, caring for us kids, taking care of household responsibilities like cooking, cleaning, and laundry. She spent the most time with my sister Londa who was a toddler at the time. One day Londa accidentally called her "Grandma" and we all went with it. We had another "adopted Grandma" in Mrs. Susan Dyck (who then married Mr. Jake Penner) who we had known all our lives, so it wasn't too unusual for us.
Grandma Schmidt was only in our home for five years. Londa was old enough to go to school. Randy and I were old enough to take care of things while Dad was at work. But those five years were filled with her love, compassion, her sense of humor, her faith in God, and her dedication to our family. I can't call her our nanny or housekeeper because she was so much more than that. Yes, she was paid to be with us, but I'm sure there must have been many things she didn't get paid for. She would take us to Steinbach, Winkler, MacGregor, (and even Blumenfeld waaaay back in the early years) to visit her family there. We'd have sleepovers at her place with her grandkids. We would watch her undo her hair for night and put it into two long braids and put it up again in the morning. She'd read us story after story from the Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories books (okay, I had to Google the name but I can see the books in my head). She taught me some of the basics of cooking and that pizza is cut up with a scissor. I think of her when I see portzelky (Mennonite deep fried dumpling-type things with raisins that are traditionally only made for New Years). Every time I pick up my crochet hook I remember the summer we were in MacGregor and she sat me and her granddaughter Jenny down to teach us how to crochet. Many times after school she'd ask me to spend some time crocheting and she'd help me fix my mistakes.
Even though she "retired" after those five years with our family, we still kept in close contact with her. It was quite a number of years where I don't think I saw any of her family, and then, sadly, we were all together again when Grandma died in a car accident in July of 2001 and again when my Mom died in September of 2001. (And then our other "adopted" Grandma Penner died in March of 2002.) It was great to see them, but the circumstances were tragic. I remember feeling so blessed that she had been in our lives and so grateful to her family for allowing us to share in her life and their lives and to include us as part of their family even at such a personal and difficult time.
I often think of her and miss her. I'm so glad that I told her I loved her the last time I saw her. I'm not sure how often I had said it to her, but I felt compelled to do so that day. I treasure the picture I have of she and I together at the bridal shower my Dad threw for me at the hospital with my Mom. I had asked Grandma to sit beside me that evening. I know she nurtured a rich Christian heritage in her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. One of the biggest lessons I've learned from her is that people don't have to be related by genetics to be family.
Here's a YouTube link to the song, "Angels Among Us" by Alabama, which always reminds me of her: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPgtSVXi63I
I believe there are angels among us
sent down to us from somewhere up above
they come to you and me in our darkest hours
to show us how to live, to teach us how to give
to guide us with the light of love
My earliest recollection of Mrs. Mary Schmidt is seeing her sitting at our kitchen table in our house in Rosenfeld. I probably had just turned seven years old. She was a tall woman with white, her signature coiffed hair with its waves and rolls, and her ever-present dress. (I'm not sure if I've ever seen her wear pants other than the snow pants she wore for walking in winter and clearing the snow from her driveway.) From what I understand, she had heard about our family situation (my Mom being hospitalized with a serious but undiagnosed illness) and she came to offer her assistance to our household. She had spent several years with another family in Altona who had been in a similar situation, where a mother with young children had battled cancer.
She wasn't "Grandma" at first. She spent a lot of time at our home, caring for us kids, taking care of household responsibilities like cooking, cleaning, and laundry. She spent the most time with my sister Londa who was a toddler at the time. One day Londa accidentally called her "Grandma" and we all went with it. We had another "adopted Grandma" in Mrs. Susan Dyck (who then married Mr. Jake Penner) who we had known all our lives, so it wasn't too unusual for us.
Grandma Schmidt was only in our home for five years. Londa was old enough to go to school. Randy and I were old enough to take care of things while Dad was at work. But those five years were filled with her love, compassion, her sense of humor, her faith in God, and her dedication to our family. I can't call her our nanny or housekeeper because she was so much more than that. Yes, she was paid to be with us, but I'm sure there must have been many things she didn't get paid for. She would take us to Steinbach, Winkler, MacGregor, (and even Blumenfeld waaaay back in the early years) to visit her family there. We'd have sleepovers at her place with her grandkids. We would watch her undo her hair for night and put it into two long braids and put it up again in the morning. She'd read us story after story from the Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories books (okay, I had to Google the name but I can see the books in my head). She taught me some of the basics of cooking and that pizza is cut up with a scissor. I think of her when I see portzelky (Mennonite deep fried dumpling-type things with raisins that are traditionally only made for New Years). Every time I pick up my crochet hook I remember the summer we were in MacGregor and she sat me and her granddaughter Jenny down to teach us how to crochet. Many times after school she'd ask me to spend some time crocheting and she'd help me fix my mistakes.
Even though she "retired" after those five years with our family, we still kept in close contact with her. It was quite a number of years where I don't think I saw any of her family, and then, sadly, we were all together again when Grandma died in a car accident in July of 2001 and again when my Mom died in September of 2001. (And then our other "adopted" Grandma Penner died in March of 2002.) It was great to see them, but the circumstances were tragic. I remember feeling so blessed that she had been in our lives and so grateful to her family for allowing us to share in her life and their lives and to include us as part of their family even at such a personal and difficult time.
I often think of her and miss her. I'm so glad that I told her I loved her the last time I saw her. I'm not sure how often I had said it to her, but I felt compelled to do so that day. I treasure the picture I have of she and I together at the bridal shower my Dad threw for me at the hospital with my Mom. I had asked Grandma to sit beside me that evening. I know she nurtured a rich Christian heritage in her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. One of the biggest lessons I've learned from her is that people don't have to be related by genetics to be family.
Here's a YouTube link to the song, "Angels Among Us" by Alabama, which always reminds me of her: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPgtSVXi63I
I believe there are angels among us
sent down to us from somewhere up above
they come to you and me in our darkest hours
to show us how to live, to teach us how to give
to guide us with the light of love
A touching story, Leanne. What a perfect testimony to all of us that our actions speak much louder than words. By living our lives in such a way that manifests our Lord to those around us, we gain authority in what we say. Your "Grandma" earned her place of authority in your life through her humble service to your family.
ReplyDeletethis brought tears to my eyes leanne. i had no idea this is how she came to be a part of your family. what a blessing she was to you all.
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