Harriet, Kenny, Paul, Kay...We Remember

by Amy Lemieux On day one at All Seasons Preschool, Grandma Harriet’s smile was one of the first we saw when entering Willow Cove (the memory care living area).  “Hi, honey,” was her standard greeting, along with a big grandma hug.  She was everything “grandma,” loving, warm, welcoming and totally present.  She was a favorite due to her joy for all things children love, relishing the pleasures as simple as the warm touch of a child’s hand or the enthusiasm of little singers who don’t know the words yet.This morning our preschoolers headed to the community room to sing at a remembrance service for Harriet.  She was a beloved grandma to our alumni students, one of our original grandmas.“The Ants Go Marching” was Harriet’s favorite song and one we chose to sing for her family at the remembrance service today.  We told her children how she led the preschoolers up and down the hall, marching to the beat.Like the children, Harriet had many favorite songs.  Whatever we were singing at that moment was Harriet’s favorite.  She would tear up during “Edelweiss”  and move along with the kids to "The Hokey Pokey".  She also shared her love for sports with the children.  Whatever “sport” we played, Harriet was on board. A natural question prospective parents ask when they visit our school is, “What happens when a grandma or grandpa dies?”  We remember them.  We remember how we spent our time with them, what they said, what they did, games we played, their favorite songs. Who doesn’t remember a grandma who will play Nerf softball with preschoolers and then “run” the bases through the living room?  (Harriet)Who doesn’t remember a grandpa who starts a dough fight when kneading dough or won’t tattle when the kids sneak a lick of frosting off their fingers? (Kenny) Who doesn’t remember a grandpa who painstakingly makes enough paper airplanes for the entire class and then takes everyone out to the playground to fly them? (Paul)Who doesn’t remember the grandma who matches her sparkly jewelry to her clothes every day and always has time to read just one more story?  (Kay)We remember all of them.