๐ธ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐:
โข As my brother, sister and I sit on the living room couch our grandfather quietly stands behind us. Heโs preparing a treat in his hand behind the scenes. Suddenly as he walks through the room sweet good oleโ candies start flying across the room into each of our hands until we each had two pieces. Of course some landed on the couch next to us and some even hit the floor but thank goodness they were wrapped candies. ๐ The whole entire time thereโs a huge smile on his face as he witnesses the joy on ours.
โข Every time we walked into my grandparents home there was the sweet smell of ripe bananas awaiting our bellies. When our grandparents knew we were visiting they would leave some extras for us to grab and enjoy. The ironic thing is I loved freckles even before I had my own. There was nothing more soothing than a delicious freckled banana. ๐
โข My siblings and I are watching television and we hear my grandmother calling โShell!โ Thatโs my nickname. As I look toward the hall where her voice was echoing my siblings began to laugh. You see, if you were called by my grandmother while watching television, it meant that she had some work for you to do. We would go into the room she was in and help her clean under the beds, in between small places she couldnโt reach and in other places I didnโt care to clean. My siblings thought it was a bad thing but little did they know my grandmother let me keep all kinds of trinkets for helping her. ๐ I always went home with fun goodies like buttons, bandaids, loose change, packaged toothpicks, hair dressings and more. Her discarded and lost items were my most precious treasures. โบ๏ธ
โข Right next to the kitchen was a door that led to a walk-in pantry closet. We would walk through the pantry that leads to an outside door. Beyond the walls of their home grew a massive garden with plants that reached higher than my head. As we explored grandpaโs garden I had to walk with my head held high so I could see the tops of the plants. It was almost like a fairytale land because I never seen anything like it. We would even play hide and seek between the garden plants because it was just that massive. He had the rows and pathways so neatly edged and tamed that we could stay out there all day long and explore.
Those are just a few of my fondest memories. Iโm the baby in the photo on my grandmotherโs lap in the middle and those are my siblings next to me. I have no idea why they both were staring at me, maybe it was just cuteness overload or I was making distracting noises. ๐
We lost her when I was only 14 years old and then a few years later my grandfather joined her to glory (my fatherโs parents).
I really wanted more time with them. As I got older it became apparent to me that I will never know them as an adult. So many things I now understood and wanted to share with them I couldnโt.
Sadness used to strongly overcome me once I started having children. I would tell my kids about their great grandparents and how much they were a part of my life back then. I know my grandma and papa would have loved and spoiled them rotten.
Fฮฑะผฮนly Toษขeัะฝerษดeัั
My grandparents kept our family so close together. They would put on the biggest most fun and amazing family reunions EVER!
Sometimes they rented out union halls (we have such a huge family) and we would have dinner, and a talent show. Other times the reunion was held at their home because it was big enough to hold us all. Their six bedroom home was so spacious and so much fun. There was a full basement with a bedroom and half kitchen that everyone liked to hang out in.
We would also hang outside on the porch and in the driveway. Every corner of their home was filled with joy and laughter as we enjoyed each otherโs company and good food (more on that later)! It was very important to them that all of their loved ones got together on a regular basis to spend time and love on one another.
After their passing some of my aunts tried to keep these events going. They did continue for awhile but it just wasnโt the same without them. Every year less and less of our family came and eventually we just didnโt have reunions anymore.
I am thankful my grandparents instilled in me the importance of family togetherness. I will never forget how important it was to them to see their family gathered together in harmony.
Home Cooked Goodness
If I only knew then what I know now.
I didnโt know back then at age 10 that I would love gardening, eating healthy and home cooked meals. My grandfather always had a good meal or dessert simmering in the kitchen. I loved when he called us to the kitchen for a taste test.
He had almost everything he needed right from his own garden. Weโd watch him bring in veggies and fruit, cut them up and add them to the pot. Although I wasnโt huge on eating healthy back then it was intriguing watching him prepare meals.
My siblings, cousins and I wish we could go back in time to make a cookbook with all of his recipes. He made the best bread pudding and peach cobbler I have ever tasted in my lifetime. The best thing that he ever grew (in my opinion) were his famous delicious peanuts. Everyone wanted to get their hands on them! They were incredibly flavorful, mouthwatering and addictiveโฆyou couldnโt just eat a few.
He passed this gift of gardening and cooking down to my father and uncles. The men in our family are amazing cooks and I am blessed to have learned some tricks from my dad. Itโs no wonder why this health and homesteading passion rings strong in me. Itโs in my blood.
A leััer ัo ะผy ษขrฮฑษดdpฮฑreษดัั าroะผ ฮฑdฯ
lั ะผe:
Dear grandma and papa,
I wish you could have known me as an adult. You would then be able to see all of the values and principals youโve instilled in me are being passed down to your great grandchildren. Your beautiful legacy of a close knit family and healthy eating has impacted me in ways you will never know.
I will never forget those childhood moments we shared. I am grateful for everything youโve taught me and the things you helped me to understand. Your love for the Lord and teaching us about Him helped me open my heart and accept Him at a young age. Thank you for taking caring of us in the many ways you did.
I am forever grateful for the memories that I have and will cherish them for as long as my mind will allow. Thank you for each instilling moment.
๐ฟ๐๐๐,
๐ด๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐ถ๐๐น๐น๐ถ๐๐๐ฝ๐๐๐ โฅ๏ธ
This is my entry for the Grandparent stories: Posting contest initiated by @galenkp. I have been wanting to share the lives of my loving grandparents and this was just the right opportunity so Iโm grateful.