My MeeMaw

My Dad, KG, and MeeMaw
The kids helping MeeMaw open presents this past Christmas.

Today is a day I have been dreading for a long while. Today my MeeMaw got to be with Jesus. Can you even imagine what she is experiencing right now? I am completely jealous and sad all at the same time. I would not wish her back for anything. Though I know one day I will see her again, my human mind makes it hard to comprehend just how soon that will be. I wanted to write down for mysake some fun memories that I had of her. Most of all I am grateful to her for the legacy she left for me. You see my MeeMaw loved Jesus more than anything else in this world, and she taught her sons and grandchildren about that love she had. I am forever grateful, and can't wait until one day we can all share in that joy!

I have been very priviledged to have a close relationship with my MeeMaw. I would definitely say that she loved all of her grandchildren equally, but I got to spend a LOT of time with her and my PeePaw growing up. MeeMaw never had a lot of money, but she NEVER let that get in the way of living and enjoying life. That woman was always the life of the party, and always found a way to make you laugh. People just enjoyed being around her.

I can remember her taking me to Wilkes, a little grocery store not far from her house, when I was little. There was a picture in the paper of her and me as a little girl at Wilkes. I will have to see if I can find it. I remember her leaning on the cart and slowly strolling through the store as if she had nothing else to do. She would always "test" out the grapes before she bought any. :) Back then you could do that. She also always let me pick out some candy. Don't ask me why, but I always wanted the bubblegum candy cigarettes. I got to get them several times until my mom put a stop to that. ha! They had this powder in them that when you puffed on them they would make smoke. :) Since I couldn't get those I reverted to the small candy gum chicklets. I would eat the whole pack at one time until the flavor ran out, and then spit it out. Of course that didn't last very long.

MeeMaw kept us a lot when we were little. The routine was at 12:00 ring the bell on the outside of the house to let PeePaw know it was time for lunch-all fried and fabulous food of course. He would come in from the shop, we would eat, and then we had to be quiet because he would lay down for a nap. :) In the meantime they were watching Mrs. Polly (whom I hated-a local celebrity news lady) and then Days of our Lives. My MeeMaw got me hooked. :) I haven't watched that in a long time. I'm sure the story is not too far off from what was going on back then. ha! Also when she would get annoyed with us she would tell us to go play in yonder. We have yet to figure out where that is. :)I remember also her getting so mad at us when we would go in and out of the house. She would say that we were letting all the cold air out of the house. She would also pay us a quarter to "mash" her feet and hands. We would always do it, although I don't ever remember getting paid. :)

MeeMaw had the best neighbors in the world. The Sellers. They lived up on top of the hill and had a pool. During the summer she would always take us up there to swim. Of course we had to wait 30 minutes after lunch to make sure we didn't cramp up. :) Also the Sellers owned a bakery in town. She would take us down to the bakery and Virgil would let us pick out any donut/cookie that we wanted. We thought we were really cool!

We planted strawberries out back in the pasture, hunted easter eggs every year, and spent many an aftenoon on the old tire swing under the BIG tree down by the garden. MeeMaw always had her cabinets stocked with pringles, moonpies of every flavor, and cornflakes. The freezer always contained fudgesicles. Every meal came complete with a big ole' pitcher of SWEET tea. I think she put at least a cup of sugar if not two in her tea. She was also a fabulous cook. Most of it was fried, but it was GOOD! Some of the family favorites are her potato salad and chocolate pie. My cousin Pam can make the potato salad, and I mastered the chocolate pie. You know the important things in life. Also, when I was older we rented the movie Fried Green Tomatoes, and fried some green tomatoes while we watched the movie.

These are just some of the many memories that I have with my MeeMaw. I'm sure I will think of more and add them to this blog as I do. I am so blessed to have such a Jesus loving grandma. I will miss her greatly, but know I will see her again. I'm sure she is dancing away. She liked to do that too. :) One day in our kitchen she grabbed the lid to a pan and started doing some kind of jig. She did is just to make us laugh. :) She got her laugh.

She would always tell me "Don't get old" (Like I have a choice) She said it's no fun to get old and have arthritis. Well MeeMaw, You are no longer old! You are all new and perfect! We will miss you, but will see you sooner than we know. LOVE YOU!!