. My sweet, sassy, stubborn Grandma passed away May 27, just 3 days after her 88th birthday. Nina Mae Gibson Smith was a woman of many talents. She baked, sewed, painted, sketched, crocheted and made beautiful needlepoint tapestries. My grandmother could make dinner out anything in the kitchen. She rarely followed a recipe, but dinner was always delicious when she cooked. I learned so much from her and miss her desperately.When Michael and I moved after 4 years of living with and taking care of her, I had a nagging feeling that it wouldn't be long before she passed away. Life became incredibly busy for me and Michael (I worked for Provo HIgh School and started managing PhotoFlare Studio and Michael left his job with US Synthetic to get ahead in school.) and we didn't see Grandma nearly as much as we wanted.
I took Belle over to spend the day with Grandma on her Birthday and am grateful for the time I spent with her that day. It was the last day she was coherent. Michael and I spent the next 4 days and a few of the nights caring for her once again as she struggled to leave this life. My grandparents were a lot like parents to me. y grandfather was the first person to hold me when I was born and my grandmother often cared for me when my mother went to work. Their home in Provo was my first home and it is deeply engrained in my soul. I love them both so much and feel as though a part of me has been ripped away and the missing piece will never be replaced. I always knew my grandma loved me, no matter what.
