I have so many great memories of Granny Nelle. Some of them are about the quirky, funny things she did, like the time she told us, "Did you know that if you go to the gas station and get an ice cup, you can put coke in it and they won't even charge you!" I also have a funny, funny memory of attending "A Chorus Line" with Granny Nelle, Mom, and Monica in Amarillo after my parents divorced. Mom had decided that Monica and I needed to be versed in the arts, and who better to include than the artist Granny Nelle? So off we went to the Civic Center for the off-Broadway production of "A Chorus Line." This was back before the Internet existed, so I don't guess any of us knew much about the plot. When the production began, we were so excited for what was in store. We had no clue. I was probably 8 yrs old at the time, but I guess I was old enough to realize what a homosexual was because I remember thinking, "This is kind of strange," when the men were singing about being gay. I recall many native Amarillans leaving during that song. The crowd was really beginning to thin out. Then came the song of all songs: "Tits and Ass." No kidding! Granny Nelle and Mom just laughed while all the other stuffy people filed out furiously. I'm very proud to say that we lasted until the very end. Thank you, Mom and Granny Nelle, for the wonderful "art" lesson I received that day!

When I think of Granny Nelle, I think about sitting on the porch of her house and always seeing her face through the little window into the kitchen. And she was always laughing. The last time I saw her was one of the most precious days of my life. Carly was 2 at the time and Granny Nelle was pretty much confined to her bed. Carly was at the stage where she didn't like anyone except Marc and myself. So, I was worried about taking her to the Ranch and her acting ugly. But on this day, Carly climbed onto Granny Nelle's bed and started jumping up and down, laughing, squealing! Granny Nelle loved it and was laughing right along with her. It was precious. I cherish this memory and I'm so grateful that my daughter remembers Granny Nelle and got to know her if only briefly. I am also grateful that I have a "Grandmother's Memories" book that Granny Nelle filled out (if only partially) before she left us. It tells me about her experiences growing up ("I never knew we were poor," she writes.) She also wrote about knowing God ("I always believed he was real, but any doubt was gone when we had our first child. When you realize you gave birth to a perfect tiny human being -- perfect in every way -- God had to be the Creator.") She also writes about being a Christian. She says,

"I have fallen short -- every day of my life. I think being a caretaker to someone who needs you and you quit thinking about your needs -- it helps you become a Christian. Learning to be a giver instead of a taker -- in any walk of life."

To me, that is the embodiment of Granny Nelle's life.