When Pop-Pop died Nana stayed true to her Bernie. As a matter of fact I think she started watching sports more and shows that he would have watched because he would have been watching it. With all due respect to the great man on the cross if they made a bracelet that said What Would Bernie Do, I bet Nana would have worn one. If she watched the Phillies because of Pop-Pop she watched Notre Dame Football in spite of Pop Pop. Oh how Nana loved her Irish. I couldn’t watch a game with her without her telling me about the old days of Bill Shakespeare. Now I don’t know my Bill Shakespeare from Bill Shakespeare but it made her so happy to tell me the stories and it made me so happy to hear them even if it was every week.
The most fun you could ever have with that woman was watching a Notre Dame Football game. She would get so excited when the Irish broke off for a big play. OOOOh OOOOh. And she would go crazy when they did it again on the very next play. I never had the heart to tell her that it was a replay so we always let her go on thinking they did it again. I think it’s safe to say that she clearly enjoyed a Notre Dame game twice as much as the average fan, especially when you factor in the replays. On that note, Nana, by now you’ve learned that when we said we gave you a half a beer, yeah, it was actually a full one. And you drank it like a champ.
I’d like to think that I had a special relationship with Nana. Not any more special than anyone else, but special nonetheless. Growing up 2 doors down from your grandparents will do that. When I was sick I would stay with my Nana. She is the only person to this day that I know who could take a temperature reading just by a hand on the belly. I don’t know if it was accurate but it sure was comforting. Nana and I spent a lot of time together, especially my year of Kindergarten. If I had morning session I would spend the second part of the day with my Nana. If I was in the afternoon, Id spend the morning with her. Either way we were sharing a lunch of hot dogs or PB and J. It was nana who helped out my love for both. And graham crackers dipped in hot tea. And a full sleeve of saltine crackers with butter, jelly, butter and jelly or peanut butter. Man did I love those crackers. And boy did I love that time with my nana. Even if I was forced to watch General Hospital, which for the longest time I was convinced that I would see her as one of the writers because she always seemed to know what was next. Hot dogs, crackers, GH and Nana. What more could a kid need?
As many of you know, just over a month ago, steps from where she is now, Lynn and I were married. I prayed that she would make it to see that day and I am so blessed and grateful that she was able to do so. In preparation of that day I had one simple request- I was escorting my nana down the aisle. You don’t normally see the groom bringing anyone down the aisle but nana wasn’t just any woman. I had walked her down the aisle at other weddings and I was certainly going to do it for mine as well. It made my day when I walked back and snuck up behind her and told her I was escorting her. She gave me the biggest smile and said “good, I wouldn’t want it any other way.” I’ll never forget that moment and I will cherish it forever. As well as the family dances at the reception when we had her surrounded for what would become our final family picture.
I have a million memories of great times with Nana but there is one moment that is my all-time favorite memory of her and I, one that not many people are aware of. It came on August 14th, 2001, the day we lost pop-pop. He may have been gone for an hour, perhaps 2 but no more than that and my mom and I brought nana back to the house. We were the first ones to arrive and my mom then ran out to the store leaving just me and nana sitting alone on the couch. I had my arm around her and she sat with her head on my shoulder, our other hands together on her lap. We sat in silence just her and I for what seemed like an hour, neither of us needing to say a word. She finally broke the silence with “matt, I miss him already.” I told her I did too and we continued to sit in silence until the rest of the family started to filter in.
I know I speak for everyone here when I say “Nana. We miss you already.”
