Our grandma, Jeannie, who we call Grammy and sometimes GG (it is still a bit of a debate ), was born in 1937 and has spent her entire life loving and caring for others in the most genuine and selfless ways.

She is the kind of person who lights up a room the moment she walks in. She is warm, outgoing, and has always had a way of making people feel seen, safe, and truly loved. If someone needed help, she was there. If someone needed kindness, she gave it. That is just who she is.

Her life has not been easy. Shortly after graduating high school, she was in a car accident that nearly took her life. She also experienced the heartbreaking loss of her first baby, Chris. And through every hardship, she still chose love. She still chose to give.

She raised two incredible children while also caring for so many others along the way, often stepping in to help families and children whenever she was needed. She has always put others before herself without hesitation.

Her faith has always been a guiding part of her life. As a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she has not only believed in loving others, she has lived it. She taught our family what unconditional love looks like. She taught us to give, to love, and to always try to make someone smile.

Music has always been a part of her soul. Grammy played the accordion, piano, organ, and keyboard. She taught students, played in bands, and brought joy to so many people through her music. Even now, after chemotherapy in 2019 took away her ability to play, music is still such a big part of who she is.

She loves cowboy movies and always says, “You know it is a good one when the cowboy rides off with the girl in the end.” She loves art and creativity. But more than anything, she loves people. She shows that love by giving, over and over again, even when life has not always given back to her in the same way.

Over the past few years, we have watched her health slowly decline, and in the last couple of months it has become much more serious. A recent septic infection led to hospitalization and rehab. There were moments where we truly did not know what was going to happen.

But she is still here.

And we are starting to see our Grammy come back. Her smile, her warmth, her light. It is still there.

While she was in rehab, she shared something with us that deeply impacted our family. She told us that she had been praying and even asking Heavenly Father to take her. She wondered if she had done something wrong or if she was no longer needed.

But then she had what she described as something more than a dream.

She felt Him tell her that it is not her time. That she is still needed. That she still has purpose here.

When she opened her eyes, she saw her daughter Melody standing above her. Shortly after, her granddaughter Kalea walked in. In that moment, she knew she is still meant to be here.

And we feel that too.

Now we are at a place where she needs more care than we can give at home. She needs assisted living where she can be safe, supported, and surrounded by people again. After being homebound for so long, having a sense of community is something she is truly looking forward to.

The assisted living facility we have chosen feels like home. It is a place where she will be comfortable, cared for, and treated with dignity and kindness.

The cost of assisted living in Idaho ranges from 4,000 to 12,000 dollars per month. The home we have chosen for Grammy will be approximately 4,000 to 6,000 per month. While there are Medicaid options available, Medicaid only covers the cost of care and does not cover room and board. With the limited Social Security income she receives, there would still be a monthly shortfall.

After a two year private pay period, the facility we have chosen will accept Medicaid for her care. This allows her to stay in a place that truly feels like home, while still planning for her long term needs. For someone who has given so much throughout her life, we want to give that same level of care back to her.

I am doing this because she is my Grammy.

She has been my rock, our family’s rock, and so many other people’s rock. She is my safe place, my role model, and one of the most influential people in my life. She taught us how to love unconditionally, how to be strong, and how to keep going even when life is hard.

We have found notes from her former students, as well as messages from friends and family, sharing how much she meant to them and how deeply she impacted their lives. That is who she is.

If you are able to donate, we are incredibly grateful. If you are not able to, sharing this would mean just as much to us.

We just want to give her the same love she has given to everyone else her entire life.

Asking for help like this is not easy for us, but she has spent her life showing up for others, and we are hoping to show up for her in the same way now.

Thank you for being part of that. ❤️

P.S. If you would like to send her letters, pictures, or financial support directly, you can send them to:

Parrots N Stuff

Attn: Jeannie Eddins

7121 W. Overland Rd

Boise, ID 83709

This is a secure temporary mailing address through our family business while we finalize her permanent placement.