Grandma McGary

I don't have any pictures to post right now, but I wanted to get some special feelings down about my Grandma McGary. Today was her funeral and it was such a great day to remember and honor her. Unless you knew grandma, I don't think you'll ever be able to know how great she really was. She was constantly making us laugh; whether what she was saying was a joke, a yell at grandpa, an argument with grandpa, or some kind of aggressive comment. She had her opinions and wasn't scared to let you know what she thought. So many fun memories with this lady makes it so hard to say goodbye. Today was such a hard day as I replayed countless memories and realized there won't be those summer tomatoes, fresh cinnamon rolls, yummy rolls, funny jellos, waffles, saved paper goods, little candies, and so much more. I remember changing water by grandma's house and dad saying on the way down, "now don't let grandma take you in for waffles, we have to hurry and get this done to go rake/swath/change more water." But of course, grandma would summon us inside and we told dad she "made" us. :) Grandma loved to visit, whether stopping to by our house, or us going to theirs! After I was married, Brock and I would try to make it down to see them on some sundays. Our schedule would sometimes only allow an hour or so and brock would always say, "there's no way we'll be leaving in an hour." And it's true....no matter how many times we told grandma we had to go, there was always something to make us stay a little longer. Most of the time it was something to eat that was the convincing factor! Oh how I wish I could have those moments back and have her plead with me to stay a little longer. One time we went down there Wyatt was just learning to crawl and grandpa got down and was trying to teach him. It was such a great day. Grandma, of course, had homemade ice cream that was great. Grandpa was trying to give Wyatt some, and Grandma was yelling at him, "DON! she doesn't want him to have any. Just leave him alone." But of course Grandpa never listened til about the 3rd time. A few years ago Grandma had on a very pretty necklace. I commented on it and told her how much I really liked it. Normally she is always joking, but in a serious manner she told me how much my comment meant to her and how even though she's old she still likes to feel pretty. She was always saying how much she hated her diabetes shoes. She used to tell me they never matched anything and were "just old things."
I have so many more memories with this amazing lady (they are in my personal journal). She made me want to enjoy life. To laugh and love. Her family was her everything. Like my dad said at the funeral today, she truly made each of her 39 grandchildren and 97 great grandchildren feel like they were the most special. With so many loved ones, you would think she wouldn't be able to remember our names, but she always did. She knew exactly where we were, what we were doing, and always made me feel like I was her favorite. I think I really was though:)
I don't know what our family is going to do without Grandma spreading all the news/gossip about various family members. She kept this family together, demanding we get to know our cousins by making us sit by other families at our McGary Christmas parties. I still feel like that phone will ring telling us that another baby has been born.....we are all waiting to see who is going to have the 100th great grandchild. I know she would be so proud and would love to spread the news to anyone who would listen!
I love you so much Grandma. We will miss you more than I can explain. You're testimony was evident and I pray I can keep my life in order to return to our Heavenly Father and You, because I know you will be waiting for each and every one of us!