Grandma Van

My grandma is the cutest person you will ever meet. I hope you have the blessing and privilege to meet her someday if you have not already.

When she learned of my engagement, she had one very important question: "Did he ask your parents' permission before asking you?" I replied that he had taken them out to lunch and asked, and her reply was, "Well, then, I love him already." Josh followed the rules, so therefore she approves!

Also since learning of my engagement, she has started calling me about once a week to hear the latest plans. My grandma has always been great about keeping in touch. About once a month, I receive a letter in the mail from her, and also about once a month, she will call to chat. I always make it a point to write her a letter in reply because she LOVES getting mail and it's her only way of communication besides phone calls. Those monthly phone calls have now become weekly, and I cherish the time I get to speak to my grandmother.

Since she doesn't have access to the Internet, she hasn't been able to see any of my pictures, so she kindly asked me to draw a picture of my ring so she could see what it looked like. I printed a picture of it instead, and she proudly has the ring hanging on her bulletin board. I have no doubt she shows anyone who comes to visit.

I just sent her five pictures of a few wedding details, and I can only imagine her face when she checks her mail in the next day or two. She will be thrilled.

What has me chuckling the most is this: The last time I talked to grandma on the phone, she said she was going to send me a picture of a lady named Diana. I said, "Do you mean Princess Diana, grandma?"

"No, no. Her name is Diana and she lived in England. She died."

"Oh, then yes, you're speaking of Princess Diana. What is the picture of?"

"It's her in her beautiful wedding dress."

Sure enough, within a few days, grandma sent me a letter in which was enclosed a picture of Diana. She wrote, "Isn't it a beautiful dress?" She also wrote, "You don't have to purchase this dress, but I think it's the most beautiful dress ever made."

Here are a few other snippets from her sweet letter. Every ounce of it makes me giggle: 

"Dearest Shiloh, I was thrilled to talk to you the other night and hear how much you've accomplished. I was thrilled to hear who you might have as the minister (my brother-in-law, Jeff). I just hope it will be legal! I'm sure Jeff is a Christian and he will be so good. He sings real good, too!!! (Music notes drawn in the margin). "I'll be loving you always." They sang that at our wedding, two girls in harmony, and it was so perfect. I don't meant you should use it though. I'm just making conversation. ha. I like your location, too! You "done" good!...(She wrote that on Thursday, and then stopped for the night. She picked back up on Friday). This is Friday and I quit writing so I'm beginning again. Hi! And how are you? I am fine....Your Aunt Evie would tell you to get married in the morning coz then you can enjoy your whole wedding day and you wouldn't be so tired by night....Love you a million or trillion."

She also added, "If you can't read this, let me know and I'll write another one just like it." 

Isn't she the cutest, most adorable person you have ever met? My grandpa is also the greatest man you can ever meet, too. You should meet them.