Saying Goodbye to Grandma

We said goodbye to Grandma Heitkamp this past Tuesday. She was my last living Grandparent.

As always, it’s nice to see family but not under the circumstances. The last funeral[s] I’d been to were for my Uncle Keith and Grandpa Heitkamp - both while I was pregnant with Nora. 

I didn’t not want to take the girls, but it was important to me for them to see family. Though with Grandma’s 32 great grandchildren, it’s hard to keep track of all the kids!! 

Grandma & Grandpa with their nine children. Mom is the 3rd oldest. Gary & Jerry are fraternal twins [have I mentioned there are three sets of twins on this side of the family??]

Grandma with her children & their significant others - Sept 2015

We currently do not attend/belong to a church. Nora would probably be fine during mass, Hannah would not; babbling, yelling, laughing, etc. Thankfully the church had a nursery room in the basement where some other cousins’ kids were being kept busy. Tim stayed down there with the girls so I could focus on Grandma and Mom. 

It was a beautiful day and Grandma now lies next to Grandpa. 

After Grandma was laid to rest, we had lunch - I think the basement was filled with a crowd the size of a wedding! One of the warmest feelings was all of Dad’s siblings and spouses came to support - what showing of love towards Mom! 

Grandma meeting Hannah - I think she was around two or three months here.

Grandma with my girls - Sept 2015

I have a handful of fun/interesting memories from my Grandparent’s dairy farm... I was terrified being in the milking room because there was nothing to “keep” the cows from coming down on the floor. All cats and dogs were outdoor. I remember hearing the sound of piglets either being castrated or their tails cut down - Mom can you clarify that memory?? 

Stephanie and I remember poking around the farm only to see a frozen calf behind one barn. Her or I kicked it. Crazy kids. 

I remember Uncle Jerry lighting off fireworks and being terrified in my Mom’s lap. 

I remember Grandma always had some ice cream treat in her deep freeze - either a 5-gallon tub of something or drumsticks. 

I believe this is around 1985 - I’m on Grandpa’s lap, around five years old. Mom is in the green holding Stephanie and Katherine is not born yet! This is just eleven [!] of their 31 grandchildren.

I remember the smell of their mudroom [?] - to this day, strangely, there are some Asian dishes I cannot eat because somehow their taste reminds me of the SMELL of that mudroom. 

I remember the packaged oatmeal cookies in the cabinet, with the waxy crayons nearby. 

I remember Aunt Linda using that green & pink Maybelline mascara - the tube I loyally use to this day. 

Little Christine - I’m guessing around five or six [?] with Aunt Linda, my Godmother. I’m pretty sure I specifically asked for this rig + farm animals. Also, my overalls are clutch.

But the memory I will never ever forget to this day is walking in on Uncle Jerry and Grandpa checking on a pregnant cow. I saw Uncle Jerry, elbow deep “in” the cow. Pulling his arm out with all types of fluids on his arm. I’m pretty sure I bolted straight back to Mom in the farmhouse. 

We’ll miss you, Grandma Heitkamp. And we still miss you, Grandpa Heitkamp.