October 16. The one day of the year I dread. It’s a day many see as a normal day, but not me. It’s one of those days that I draw a big X on the calendar. Anyone else out there do that or is that just me?

You see, when I was born, there was a very special woman who loved me. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten to hear many stories that just prove that over and over again. When I was a newborn, she changed my diaper. When I was 6 weeks old, she gave me coffee and scrambled eggs. When I was in elementary school, she was the woman who gave me money for making A’s-I was rich as a kid. She dresses me in these awful Easter outfits. The big dresses with all of the frills: you know which ones I’m talking about. The ones from the 1800’s, yeah she had me in that with frilly socks and shined white shoes. My hair was curled and sprayed with two cans of hair spray. I’m surprised no bugs got stuck in there. She always had a camera in her hand. She LOVED pictures! I’m not even sure that love is the right word. She looked forward to taking pictures, then she’d make sure to print them and put them in a huge photo album to go over whenever I brought a boy over. She loved holidays-not necessarily the cooking, but she enjoyed spending time with her loved ones. She loved to travel-especially the mountains. We spent many Saturdays in Helen, Georgia or Cherokee, North Carolina.

She wasn’t just a woman to me though. She was my grandma, or as I called her “Nana.” As I’ve grown older, I’ve realized how much she actually did for me. I’ve realized how unconditionally she loved people, not just me. She always went out of her way to speak to someone, share a sweet card, and even send a random penguin sweater just because.

The sixteenth marks two years since she’s passed. Every day I pick up the phone to call her to tell her something only to realize she’s not here anymore. I’ve written her many hand written letters. I’ve text her multiple times a week-at least her old phone number anyway. She was a special woman, and I wish I would have shown that more than I did. There were days we argued, but they were few and far between. I miss her, and not a day goes by that I don’t think of her.

To Nana, who is in Heaven right now, I miss you. I miss your contagious laugh, your giving heart, your unconditional love. Most of all, I miss your wise words and listening ear. Life just isn’t the same without you, Nana.