"Glad you got to see me!"

This is my grandmother and I before my wedding. When I was growing up I remember coming to Lubbock to visit a couple of times a year, and I have a few funny memories of her from my childhood.

I knew her best as an adult. I lived with her for my last 2 semesters of nursing school. While it was not always easy to live together, considering the 52 years of age between us, I am glad that we did. I think back now on some of the things she would say and I laugh out loud.

She would have very vivid dreams that were SO strange, and she always remembered them well enough to tell you the next day. One morning she called and cancelled her subscription to the newspaper right at 8 a.m. because it was raining and they threw the paper under her car. She was a BIG fan of Star Search and American Idol - we disagreed about season 2, Ruben vs. Clay. She loved Texas Tech sports, always watched the games on TV. I never heard her laugh harder than when she watched old episodes of the Match Game. She bought the purple dress she is wearing above at Dillards a few weeks before my wedding. My mom, sister, aunt and I were all there. I will never forget how hard we laughed in the dressing rooms.

She loved old Hymms from the old songbooks. We sang some to her the hours before she died, and even as weak as she was, she tried to sing with us. I had never been, and haven't been since, at the completion of someone's life with them.

She died when Lola was about 6 weeks old, May 15, 2005. Later that summer, I was driving to work one morning and I remember feeling so sad. I heard a song by Chris Rice, "Come to Jesus" and it reminds me of her everytime I hear it, still. I think because she had a very full life, with ups and downs. Lyrics are below. Enjoy them, and the picture. As Mimi would say, "Glad you got to see me!"

Weak and wounded sinner

Lost and left to die

O, raise your head, for love is passing by

Come to Jesus

Come to Jesus

Come to Jesus.... and live

Now your burden's lifted

And carried far away

And precious blood has washed away the stain,

so Sing to Jesus

Sing to Jesus

Sing to Jesus.... and live

And like a newborn baby

Don't be afraid to crawl

And remember when you walk Sometimes we fall...

so Fall on Jesus

Fall on Jesus

Fall on Jesus .....and live

Sometimes the way is lonely

And steep and filled with pain

So if your sky is dark and pours the rain,

then Cry to Jesus

Cry to Jesus

Cry to Jesus......... andlive

O, and when the love spills over

And music fills the night

And when you can't contain your joy inside,

then Dance for Jesus

Dance for Jesus

Dance for Jesus...... and live

And with your final heartbeat

Kiss the world goodbye

Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side,

and Fly to Jesus

Fly to Jesus

Fly to Jesus........... and live

Anita J. Riggan

July 6, 1928 - May 15, 2005