She wasn't my grandma by being related to me. When I was little I lived 3 hours away from my grandmas and I never met either of my grandpas. She taught Sunday School and helped with the music for Sunday School opening. She taught me to make wreaths out of candy kisses one Christmas. Even after we moved away she always remembered my birthday with a card with $1 tucked in. The past few years she wasn't sure of my address so the cards were a little late, but still came. She made and embroidered their names on baby quilts for Lamb 1 and Lamb 3. She sent a different gift when Lamb 2 was born. The last time we visited her Lamb 3 was a baby and she was so happy to meet my boys. It brought tears to my eyes that my adopted grandma would remember my Lambs as an adopted great-grandma, just like my Grandma Frieda would have done if she was still alive. She had tons of grandchildren and great-grandchildren that were related to her and she still always remembered her adopted granddaughter.
This is my first birthday in 36 years that I won't receive a birthday card from Grandma Jane. She is with Jesus and Grandpa Stan now.
My Lambs have adopted grandparents from our churches both here and in MN. I don't know if their relationship with their adopted grandparents will last as long as mine did with Grandma Jane. But I know that by adopting me all those years ago, that was the kindest thing she could have done for her pastor (my dad) and his family. She felt like her words were not much in those birthday cards coming from a small town homemaker. But her taking time to write the cards each year is what mattered. I hope to follow her example and adopt children from church to be my grandchildren when the Lambs are out of the house.
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