Esther Avalos McGraw

Today, we’re here to celebrate my grandma not just to mourn her, but to remember the love, laughter, and memories she gave all of us every single day. My grandma WAS a woman of MANY words. She showed her love through her actions, through the little things, and especially through the time she spent with her family. Her life wasn’t always easy, but I truly believe some of her happiest moments were the ones spent surrounded by the people she loved most.

When I think of her, I don’t just think about holidays or big moments. I think about the little things that became the biggest memories. I think about sitting around the table for hours playing cards with her. Every single time one of us win, she’d look at us and say, “pinches chaposeros,” with that look on her face that made everybody laugh. Deep down, we all knew she hated losing, but that’s what made it so funny and so special. Somehow, every card game turned into laughter, teasing, and memories we’ll never forget.

I think about when we’d put on fake tattoos, feeling all cool and grown up, and she would threaten to scrub them off with a sponge. None of us believed her… until one day me and my siblings showed up with fake SpongeBob tattoos, and she dragged us right to the sink and started scrubbing like she was on a mission. We complained, laughed, and tried to run away while she sat there determined to get every last bit off our skin. At the time it seemed small, but now those are the memories that mean everything.

And if you knew her, you knew she always had her gum in her mouth, her dark red nails ready to pinch you if you said something dumb, and coffee nearby while she sat with family. Going to visit her meant being together. It meant laughter, stories, card games, and comfort. She made ordinary moments unforgettable. She made a house feel like home. She made people feel loved without even trying.

It wasn’t until recently that I found out she was one of the first people to know about my mom and dad’s relationship. Hearing that made me realize even more how much of a pillar she was in this family. She was someone people trusted, someone people gathered around. In so many ways, she was the reason our family stayed close and came together.

And even though we can’t physically see her today, I refuse to believe she’s truly gone. I still feel her in the laughter we share, in the stories we tell, and in every card game we’ll ever play again. I’ll hear her voice every time somebody accuses another person of cheating. I’ll think of her every time I see fake tattoos or a sponge sitting by the sink. Pieces of her are still here in all of us.

She wasn’t just our mom, grandma, sister, or tia. She was comfort. She was joy. She was the person who could make you laugh even on hard days. She was the kind of love that stays with you forever.

I think the hardest part about losing someone isn’t forgetting them because we never will. The hardest part is missing the little things you never realized would matter so much one day. One more card game. One more laugh. One more moment hearing her voice.

But if she taught us anything, it’s to love hard, laugh loud, and hold onto family tightly. So instead of only crying because she’s gone, I want us to smile because we were lucky enough to have her.

And I know if she were here right now, seeing all of us together crying about her, she’d probably tell us we’re all being dramatic… and then accuse somebody of cheating one last time.

We love you, Grandma. Thank you for every laugh, every lesson, every memory, and every moment. We’ll miss you deeply, but we’ll carry you with us always. You will always be with us.