Now that Aldo Owen Hall Briggs has arrived, it dawns on me that we never heard you say what you wanted to be called by our grandchildren. I wish we had had that conversation. We have an abundance of stories, pictures, and videos we can share to help them know you, but how should we refer to you?
Traditional grandmother names like “Grandma”, “Grammy”, “Nana”, “Mimi”, “MawMaw”or “Meemaw” don’t seem appropriate. As I sit here and think, I recall that many of your family members affectionately called you “Jenny” (or in some cases “Jenny Poo”). So, what about “Grandma Jenny”? I actually think I like that, how about you?
It makes me sad that our grandchildren will never get to know you in person. You would have been a wonderful grandmother! You loved all the baby stages from newborn to infant to toddler, and you would have been ready and willing to travel at the drop of a hat to visit and help give Mom and Dad a break for a night out or a weekend trip. And when they got older, you would have loved having them at the farm and sharing your love of horses and outdoor activities here. And of course, teaching them games or puzzles as a way of just spending time together.
I wish we could have had the experience of growing old together and watching proudly as our kids have their own lives and families. I think grandchildren would have brought us closer and given us some common ground that was missing in recent years before you got sick. But, we carry your memory in our hearts and will do our best to share and keep it alive as “Grandma Jenny” with the next generation.
Just beautiful.