Summers With Grandma Linda

Family Search's question for May 24 was: What is the best thing about your relationship with your mother or grandmother?

I decided that for this post I'm going to tell you about my grandma Linda Peterson. She is my mom's mom. Growing up, I didn't call her Grandma Linda like in the title. I just called her "Grandma" when I was with her, and "Grandma Peterson" when talking about her. We call her Grandma Linda with my kids because they have so many grandmas!

My mom's parents live in Grand Coulee Dam, Washington, and we lived in Provo/Orem, Utah throughout my life; so we didn't get to see them more than once or twice a year (unlike my dad's parents who live in St. George, Utah). We visited every summer for about 2 weeks, and they visited us when they could as well. I had a really special relationship with my Grandma when I was little, and I still do now.

When I would visit Coulee Dam or my grandma would visit Provo, I wanted to sleep next to her. It didn't happen every night and every visit, but often enough that I remember. She was such a good sport about it, though knowing her loving personality, I think she enjoyed it too. It makes me smile, because Benjamin now has the exact same relationship with my mom. Whenever he has a sleepover with my parents, or we are on a combined family trip, Benjamin sleeps next to my mom.

My grandma grew raspberries in her garden, and I loved helping her pick them. In fact, I'm pretty sure I ate a good chunk right there that never made it into the bucket. Coincidentally, Benjamin and Luna do the same thing with my mom and her raspberry plants!

When I was 10 I spent an entire month at my Grandma's house without my parents! I caught a ride with my friend's family whose grandparents were backdoor neighbors to mine. I hung out with her in the elementary school library that she worked in. We spent some time in Seattle with my cousins. And we also spent some time in Spokane so that my Grandma could help my uncle move out of his apartment, he was moving to Provo where I lived! While my Grandma cleaned my uncle's apartment, I read The American Girl books out loud to her - the original ones: Felicity, Josefina, Abby, etc. Then my Grandma, my uncle, and I drove down to Provo.

This August I will be taking Gerson and our kids to Coulee Dam! It will be their first time visiting there, and I'm so excited to show them how I spent my summers as a little girl.