Allan’s 88 year old Scottish grandmother, Elizabeth Taylor, passed away early Sunday morning in her Edinburgh home.  The same home she raised 12 children and 3 grandchildren, including my husband, Allan. 

When I married Allan nine years ago, Granny Taylor and several of Allan’s uncles, aunts and cousins made the trip across the big pond to attend our wedding and welcome me into the family.  Granny embraced me and loved me like one of her children, mostly because I had the uncanny talent to make an old lassie giggle with my wicked sense of humor and witty outlook on life.

During that visit, she shared with me the story about how Allan was never expected to be carried to full-term.  His mother refused to abort the fetus and carried the baby full term, but everyone expected to baby to be still born. 

Nine months later, his mother delivered a healthy 9 pound baby boy.  However, there was no crib or a cradle for this miracle baby.  (When I first heard this story, I called Allan “The Messiah” for the longest time.)  This wee bairn slept in a drawer the first few days of his life until his family could find a proper crib.  Allan and his mum spent the next few years of his young life in his granny’s home.

I heard this tale of Allan’s miracle birth grow over the years, but the ending was always the same.  Granny would start greeting (Scottish for crying) for her wee bairn.  Allan had a special place in Granny’s heart and since I was married to her “special boy”, she always made my girls and I feel special, too. 

Granny would also love to share the fact that Sean Connery delivered her milk in his days before becoming a famous actor.

But Granny’s favorite tale to tell was the day Allan, his mum, his new step-dad and his baby brother, Jamie, left for their new home in America.  When boarding the plane, Allan called, “Mon Gaia” (Scottish toddlerese for “C’mon Grandma”) beckoning his Granny to follow him onto the plane.  As Granny told the story, her eyes would fill with tears barely being able to utter the words.  Now, that I have children of my own, I know the pain she felt each time she told the story.

We last saw Granny 4 years ago on our trip to the U.K. and she was completely smitten with her wee American granddaughter.  Allana still talks about the time she met her Great-Granny Taylor. 

Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to afford a trip back to the U.K. since then and it saddens me that Emmalynn will never have the opportunity to meet her Great-Granny Taylor.

Each Christmas, Granny would send us chocolate buttons, rock candy and a kilt for Allana.  “A wee Scottish bairn has got to wear a proper kilt”, she would say in brogue.   Once her health started failing, her trips into town became less frequent as well as the Christmas parcels.  Although chatting with Granny on Christmas was a wonderful gift in itself. 

From time to time, we would phone Granny to tell her about our latest accomplishments.  She was always so proud of Allan.  Through a long distance wire, we could hear her beaming with pride for her wee laddie and it tickled her to hear the girls’ voices. 

When Allan graduated from the University of Tampa, she apologized for not being able to attend the ceremony, but with her failing health, she would never be able to make the trip.  I believe if her health was in a better state, she would have made the trip for Allan. 

I regret not speaking to Granny before she passed, but I couldn’t find the right words.  It also broke my heart to know she wouldn’t live to see another Christmas.  Fortunately, she was surrounded by loved ones during her last days, including Allan’s mum, who returned home in time to be by her mother’s side before she passed away.

Now that Granny Taylor is gone, I realized I wanted to thank her for always making my family and I feel so loved. 

I will miss chatting with Granny Taylor this Christmas.