There are three women who have earned the title of Grandma to my children: my mom, my mother-in-law, and Grammy T. Grammy T. was not related by blood, but she was an important part of our life.

When my husband and I were dating, she opened her home to me. When I was deep in anxiety, she’d listen. When my second child was born she headed quickly to my house at 6 a.m. to be with my firstborn.

She taught me what it was like to open your home to people—how to truly engage in hospitality. Completely practical things like, boiling the potatoes for mashing before church, how to burn garlic bread in the broiler, and how to laugh around the Sunday table.

Most of all, she taught us unconditional love. My husband had known Grammy T. For many years. Her sons were in our wedding party. There was not a thing she wouldn’t do to help another person.

Now, before you go thinking she was a saint, her children and those who knew her best can tell stories of her pranks and antics that will have you laughing until you cry. (She even stole my purse once, but that’s a story for another day.) There was so much joy.

Death is always unexpected. Even though her heart, that had given so much love throughout the years, had become very weak, we didn’t really expect to lose her. It was December 31, 2017, when she was reunited with her husband and mother in the presence of our Lord. She is up in heaven now singing her heart out with Jesus, which is exactly where she desired to be.

I’m not sure I ever really grieved this enormous loss, but I did what I knew how to do. Grammy was a crafter and had bins of yarn in her basement. I told her children that I would make them each a blanket out of her yarn.

That is exactly what I’ve been doing for the last six months off and on and the last month and a half almost exclusively. With all four children gathered together for the Thanksgiving holiday, I knew I needed to pass the blankets on.

My husband wanted me to embrace the humor and crochet blankets that would make everyone laugh, but I ended up finding a pattern for a verse from the 23rd Psalm—a song that I can still hear here singing.

”I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6.

I hope these blankets can bring a little bit of comfort to the grief that is still very raw almost a year later.

They’ve certainly kept me thinking of her and helping me work through some of my grief.

Until we meet again, Grammy T.