Nadine Ledbetter

 

 

 

 

Year 2006.

 

Grant and I had began dating.

 

Or, "courting," as he liked to call it.

 

The main person he wanted me to meet and have their approval of me I could tell, (next to his parents) was his Grandma Nadine.

 

The first time I met her I was so nervous because of how highly he spoke of her.

 

Thankfully, she liked me, and I liked her!

 

For about a month she called me Heidi, though. I wasn't so sure about that. :)

 

Year 2007.

 

Grant and I got engaged.

 

When we hung out during our dating days and engagement, we spent a good half of it at Grandma Nadine's house.

 

There was so much peace in her home.

 

I loved to stay the night with her on weekends when I wasn't working and we would sit and watch the news or she would have me read the Bible to her.

 

Later in the year Grant and I got married. On December 29th, to be exact.

My "something old" for the wedding was a hair barrette she wore when she was a teenager. I keep it in a special spot in my house.

 

 

 

Year 2008.

 

Since we lived only a couple minutes from her house, we spent even more time at her house.

 

Sometimes I would go to her house and pick her up and take her back to my house.

 

She would sit in my recliner and watch me clean. She seemed so entertained by that. It made me want to clean really good since she was watching me so intently.

 

When I would go to her house we would sit on her front porch and watch the birds and the squirrels. When they ate all their food she would ask me to go put more out for them. She loved watching them.

 

I asked her if she had ever had a Starbucks coffee. She said no. So, I got her in my car and pulled over to Starbucks. I said, "I have my Grandma with me and this is her first time here!" She said, "I want black American coffee." It was the cutest thing. I felt so honored buying her that cup.

 

Once we were sitting there watching T.V. and she said, "you want to watch Dolly Parton's funeral?" I said, "she isn't dead!" She said, "yes, she is! Get that VDV (She got a DVD mixed up and would call it a VDV) and put it in!"

 

So, I put in the DVD and on the screen said, "Home going Celebration of Dottie Rambo"

We both laughed and laughed.

 

Another time we were driving down the road and I asked her when she thought it would be a good time for Grant and I to have kids. Because I wanted kids the day after our honeymoon was over!

 

She thought for a minute and said, "..I do wish Jack and I would have had more time alone together." They married when she was 16 and soon after started having kids. Eight to be exact! My father-in-law, Danny being the youngest of the boys. It made me think and appreciate the moments and days I had with just Grant and me.

 

I was driving her to church once and I said, "you are my role model." She said, "well, Hannah, you are quite the role model to me, too."

 

Just typing that makes me tear up. I will never forget how much that meant to me. That the biggest prayer warrior I knew, said that to me.

 

Later in November we were driving around again, and I said, "When is the last time you been to the zoo?" She said she couldn't remember.

 

So, I pulled over to the zoo and said to her, "I will be right back." She said, "I don't feel like going in there." I said, "I will be right back." and I hurried along as she waited in my car.

 

I came back pushing a wheel chair and I was surprised how easily she got in it, with no arguing with me.

 

I pushed her around that zoo for at least an hour or two and she laughed so hard at the gorilla who banged on the window at her.  I was sore for a week after that day though because you have to do a lot up walking up and down in that zoo. It was so worth it though.

 

Once I was at her house giving her a pedicure with my feet stuff and while I was bent over scrubbing her feet, she placed her hand on me and just patted me so soft and loving. She knew I loved her and I knew she loved me. I like to think we were very special friends.

 

 

 

Year 2009.

 

Grant had a whole month of revivals scheduled in California, so when we left to drive away the last place we stopped at was Grandma Nadine's house. She wept and cried when Grant said goodbye to her. She loved him special.

 

 

 

April 2009.

 

We flew home for a wedding Grant was going to be in.

 

Grandma was in the hospital with some stomach issues.

 

We got off the plane and went to her room in the hospital and she was asleep.

 

Grant went over to her and said, "Grandma?"

 

She said, "Is that that you, Grant? Is that my boy?"

 

She woke right up when he hugged and kissed her.

 

We felt like something wasn't right with her. Like, something bad.

 

The next day they found cancer in her. They gave her a few days, max.

 

It was awful.

 

Her son in law, Darrel told her the news as we all watched.

 

He said, "you can have this surgery and it may help for a little while but it may not. And it will be really hard on you. Or you have just a few days left."

 

She looked at him with such peace and said, "I think I'll just go on home."

 

I wanted to tell her "goodbye" before she got too bad to hear me anymore. It was the hardest thing I have ever done to this day. I said, "Grandma, I love you. You've been like my best friend." I started crying so hard I couldn't talk anymore. She patted me and said, "I love you, Hannah. You are going to be an excellent mother to your children one day."

 

The next day seemed to drag. It was so awful watching her lay there and not get up. I helped take turns with Judy, her daughter, put a wet wash cloth on her mouth to help keep it from getting so dry.

 

 Grant just wept on her. He could hardly speak. She said, "Don't cry son, I'm just on my way home." That gave him much peace. Peace that passes all understanding.

 

 

May 1st, 2009

 

Home. Heaven. That's where she wanted to go.. and not long after, on May 1st, that is where she went.

 

 

 

 

 

October 10th, 2011, Grant and I had our first baby, Raylea Jo Ledbetter.

 

December 15th, 2013, Grant and I had our baby, August Shalom, go to Heaven while in my belly.

 

October 13th, 2014, Grant and I welcomed our baby boy, Jack Gannon Ledbetter.

 

 

 

Jack was Nadine's husband.

 

I never got to meet him, but one day I will.

 

Today, October 25th, 2014, Grandma would have been 98 years old.

 

I feel beyond blessed to be able to raise my little boy, who is named after her husband, Jack.

 

 

Time is too short to not let those you love know it.

 

I am so blessed by Grant, Raylea and now Jack.

 

They are my best friends in the world.

 

I always pray I will be an excellent mother to my children, just like Nadine told me I would.

 

This post may be a little different from those in the past, but I wanted to honor my buddy today.

 

I love and miss her dearly, but one day I will be with her forever.

 

And if you know Jesus as your personal Savior, you will too!