Year's with Grandma Joyce

What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies. ~ Rudolph Giuliani

I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who blessed me with an amazing maternal grandmother: Mele Siosiani (Joyce) Mo'ungaloa. This woman has always been a strength to me. 

I still remember the first time she came to our home in July 1997. I was 11-years old and having grown up with my paternal grandmother, I always thought grandma's were quiet, nice and relaxed. I was sadly mistaken. This grandmother was loud, mean and always bugging us to do stuff around the house. I can remember complaining to my mom how her mother was so loud and mean. Of course, my mom told grandma Joyce what I said which led to a lecture from grandma that it was her job to grill us kids. She emphasized that her voice is no different from our mothers and that as a mother (figure), it was their duty to teach us all we needed to know in life. That was different from my paternal grandmother who stood as a representative of my quiet and humble father. 

As a teenager, I would grunt and kick because of the extra work grandma Joyce would give me or the constant noise her lecturing would make in our house, but as I've grown over the years and witnessed firsthand the product of her constant nagging, I am eternally grateful for all of her teachings and stories growing up.

Mostly, I'm grateful that I could learn about the Tongan culture from her. She helped me to learn the language, the traditions and the customs which undoubtedly distinguish and isolate Tongans from the other Polynesian cultures: respect, love, service, selflessness and loyalty.

She's taught my mom and us grandchildren, how to work hard and to give our best to others; especially to our husband/father's family. Even after my grandfather passed away, she's still been focused on doing her best to serve his family to the best of her ability. She's been a true example of this principle. I'm grateful this is also a trait that my mom has inherited. I've witnessed her hard work,  sweat and tears over my father's family and I'm grateful for the examples she's set for my sister and I.

My grandmother has great faith in an all-knowing God. I've watched her over the years begin and end her days with scripture reading and prayer. I wish I were as diligent in my studying and prayers. In the last several years, that is all she has cared about: her faith and church activities. She's declared that the remainder of her life will be focused solely on God and perfecting herself.

I know it'd be foolish of me to think that my grandmother will live forever. I know God's plan and understand that she's only here temporarily. I will always cherish every memory I have with her and pray that we can make many more with her. This year we celebrated her 77th birthday together ... Enjoy the video below of her birthday song. Ofa atu!