The world has lost the sweetest lady I have ever met today. My grandmother, aka Memommy.
I have so many wonderful memories of all the time I have spent with Memommy. I could go on and on and on talking about how amazing a person she was. My all time favorite memories would have to be all the Sunday afternoons we spent together in my early childhood when my grandparents lived on Cherry Road. We would always go to their house after church with our brown grocery sacks filled with our play clothes. I loved the little things that we did each week, like changing my clothes in my grandparents bedroom or eating lunch on the green picnic table. The best part of the afternoon came when we went shopping. I was always Memommy's helper. The mission: always find the best or perfect purse. How you may ask? Well, Memommy had a certain criteria for her purses. A certain amount of pockets, zippers, snaps, the color, and definitely the length of the strap. I remember thinking that I was a big help to her, not sure if I really was or not, but I have fond memories to keep forever. I also remember watching my siblings and family members play croquet while I sat with Memo in the front yard. I loved being with her.
I also have a million memories from Navarre Beach, FL. We used to take family vacations there twice a year at 4th of July and Thanksgiving. I used to love waiting for my grandparents to arrive in the lobby, loved having Memommy feed me and Paula Grandaddy's sugar cubes for his coffee, going to Salty the bird's birthday parties (memo always loved the cake) and just loved walking around/sitting on the mezzanine with her people watching especially "speedo" man :)
Memommy was a great fan of my softball years. I remember her always saying how it made her scared when I would pitch and that she couldn't watch, but she came to so many games.
As I grew older and my grandparents moved out to G-Town, our Sunday traditions did not continue but we made new memories especially when I started college and we began to have almost weekly lunches at my grandparent's house. Memommy always knew exactly what to feed you, simple lunch foods but of course we would have dessert. Memo and I had the love for desserts thing in common. I swear it is hereditary :) Lunch at the grandparents wasn't an eat and run event. Typically, I would go over at 1 and not leave until around 4. I loved spending that time with them, talking about what was currently going on in my life or reminiscing about the past.
Once I started teaching, my lunch dates became more and more rare, but I would always attempt to get by there on my holiday breaks. I did manage to talk to my grandmother almost every day. I am so glad that I took the time to call her each day. My drive home from work is about 30 minutes so I would call Memommy to tell her about my day as I drove home (using my speakerphone to be a little on the safe side). I looked forward to those conversations each day. If I had a bad day, I could tell her about it, if something funny happened, I could tell her about it. She could also keep me up to date with her and grandaddy. We had a special relationship and I could tell Memommy anything and everything and she would just listen. She would put in her opinion or comments, but I think she enjoyed how I guess "blunt" I am. She always knew exactly how I felt about stuff.
My last lunch with Memommy and Grandaddy was on my spring break in March. Never thought it would be my last with the both of them. It was a special lunch though b/c after we ate we watched the DVD that I have of little Kaylee Joy's ultrasounds. Memommy was so amazed and so excited about her great granddaughter coming into this world. I believe Memommy was the most excited about Kaylee Joy being born. Maybe even more than me. She wanted nothing more than to be able to see and hold her great granddaughter. She was even the first family member I told that I was pregnant. Kaylee Joy's name is going to be even more special to me now that she shares the middle name of her late great grandmother.
One of my favorite things about Memommy was her use of the word "darling" and her "southern twang." Memommy could make the word "darling" fit into just about any sentence whether she was calling me darling or calling a particular item darling. It was just darling to hear it :) Always made me smile! Memommy had the cutest southern accent I have ever heard. I always laughed with her about it and tried to talk like her but I just couldn't do it. I always liked it when my mom would try to talk like her mom when they were around each other. Mama could totally do it, but I guess that is b/c she grew up around her and kinda developed it herself.
Memommy you will be extremely missed. I know you will be looking down on me making sure Kaylee Joy enters this world safely and watching as she grows :) Love you with all of my heart!
I am thankful for the rest I have had to prepare for Kaylee's arrival. Since the school year ended, I have been able to take it easy for the past two weeks!
Well, today is the day that Kaylee Joy was originally set to enter our world. However, she must be stubborn like her mama b/c she doesn't seem to want to come out of my belly :) When my doctor and other people told me how first babies were often late, I thought oh no not me I will have this baby at least a few days early. Nope! Tomorrow is my mom's birthday, June 9th, so it would be super special if Kaylee Joy decided to come tomorrow. She could share a birthday with her Nana! If not looks like Kaylee will be here by 6-11-11 and we can still celebrate their birthdays together since they will be very close to one another. I have an induction set up for 6:00 am Saturday morning if she doesn't arrive before then!
I have so many wonderful memories of all the time I have spent with Memommy. I could go on and on and on talking about how amazing a person she was. My all time favorite memories would have to be all the Sunday afternoons we spent together in my early childhood when my grandparents lived on Cherry Road. We would always go to their house after church with our brown grocery sacks filled with our play clothes. I loved the little things that we did each week, like changing my clothes in my grandparents bedroom or eating lunch on the green picnic table. The best part of the afternoon came when we went shopping. I was always Memommy's helper. The mission: always find the best or perfect purse. How you may ask? Well, Memommy had a certain criteria for her purses. A certain amount of pockets, zippers, snaps, the color, and definitely the length of the strap. I remember thinking that I was a big help to her, not sure if I really was or not, but I have fond memories to keep forever. I also remember watching my siblings and family members play croquet while I sat with Memo in the front yard. I loved being with her.
