Carolyn, I loved your article. I am remembering my grandmother, my mother’s mother. My grandfather and my uncle Carl came here through Ellis Island from Poland. When they got settled, they sent for my grandmother and the children: my mother was the eldest daughter and herded her younger brother’s and sisters. They made a good life in America, starting out on the lower east side of New York along with many other eastern European immigrants and Italians. As the oldest daughter, my mother saw to it that the rest went to school and finished High School – except for Uncle Herman who went on to become an accountant. I doubt mother ever saw the inside of a classroom, but she was educated – most probably by the learning from the books of the younger ones. Mother spoke and wrote perfect English, read the newspaper every day of her long life and saw her younger sister become a teller in a bank, a really big deal for a Jewish woman in those days, and her younger brother become an accountant. I believe the immigrant dream is so strong it enables them to go on beyond even their wildest dreams!

Today too I honor my grandmothers.  My maternal Grandmother with her family of 4 children & my grandfather came to the US from Costa Rica. My grandfather was a Methodist minister and statesman in the country of Costa Rica.  They had to flee the country when there was a coup and all statesmen at that time were being murdered along with their families.  The Methodist Church helped my grandparents come to America and attain their citizenship.   My grandmother was a hard working woman who took no guff from anyone.  She cooked meals to seel for the church constantly to keep food on the table and  a roof over their heads. She typed 120 wpm and did all the secretarial jobs needed so they did have to hire anyone  and she raised 4 children .   She was a tough old bird but she kept her family fed clothed and housed.  She loved as deeply as she was devoted to her religion and never gave up on any one of us in her family.  I loved her with all my heart and being and I still miss her every day since she passed 6 years ago.

My paternal Grandmother is still alive.  She was one of 18 children and 13 years old when she married my grandfather then 14 yrs old when she had my father she had 6 other children 2 dying before birth.  She and my grandfather moved to California and became migrant workers.  My grandmother was born in the US my grandfather in the state of  Chihuahua Mexico they  worked for many years up and down the San Fernando valley before finally settling in San Pedro CA to raise their children in a proper school system.  My grandmother is now 88 years old … I am 51 years old.  I thank God everyday that I am as old as I am and still have her on this earth with me.  She is hilarious and kind and tired.  She has buried her husband her oldest son (my father) and her middle son.  In all my years of visiting and calling my grandmother has been kind and forgiving and Non- judgemental of our ways of  life.  She is thankful and grateful when we call and always keeps candles  of her favorite saints lite for all of her children grand children and great grandchildren.  She is a religious woman who prays at the drop of a hat and still loves to have a drink of an alcoholic beverage from time to time.  She has shown me how to love without barriers and mostly that patience is a true virtue.   I dread the day she dies because I will miss her so much YET I will be happy that day too for I know she will be back with my grandfather and her family and no longer in pain that age gifts you.