My cousins an I had the amazing luck to have an incredibly wonderful Grand Mother, a model of Love and patience, she was the ideal Grand Mother, and our inspiration to be better beings:

Our family was the center of my Grand Maman's life. When my grand parents retired to the south of France, they did something somewhat atypical, they built a big 7 bedrooms house, at a time when most empty nester try to scale back and move to an appartment. This beautiful house turned out to be the heart of our family, We would all gather there to celebrate holidays together. During summer my parents, uncle and aunts would fly their children there every summer to spend entire months of pure childhood bliss. 

•  She kept the family alive and united.: She introduced  us to our long gone great grand father and great aunt through numerous photos and stories, so much that I really feel like if I actually met them. As we grew up she made sure to always keep us posted on all our cousins life.

•  She made it seem so easy:  In spite of the fact that there was often more than 12 of us plus a couple of dogs, cats and rabbits in her house, I remember it to always be clean and organized, the meals always planned ahead,  kids activities organized every weeks, however, she was never rushing or overwhelmed. She would spend her mornings at the breakfast table keeping company to whoever was eating, since we all woke up at different times, and she would spent her afternoons ( after her nap) in her lounge chair in the yard, knitting and chitchatting while we played nearby.

•  she was always available to us :  She knew everyone's little secrets, her mind was so youthful that no topic was out of reach, even in her nineties,she was always understanding and open minded.

​I don't know how she did it, I guess that she had her priorities straight and obviously her number one priority was us.

She left us quietly  last year at 95 years old, we are so full of this unending sadness, but her legacy is huge.....she is my role model I will try my best and if I  manage to be half the grand mother or mother she was I will feel fortunate.

What I get from these memories is that I don't remember her doing housework, she did not care much for shopping or designer clothes, what is important is that she put us first and that is the main thing. I remember that she always had time for me, that she loved me, listen to me, valued me and made me the woman I am today.

It motivates me to give more of my time to my wonderful children, the house can always get cleaned later.....but their childhood will not wait for me.

 

 

 

Read about the day my kid took a bath in the toilet bowl!