WOW, I cannot believe that 6 weeks have flown by since my last posting.
So much as happened in my world.
I guess it's best to start at the beginning.
During Spring Break my bestest friend brought her three children ALLLLL the way from the far North to see us. I have to say that no one has gone to that much trouble to see me, ever, in my entire life. She, with out husband along, boarded a plane with a 8 year old, a 6 year old and a 19 month old for the 3 hour flight to our house. ALONE! I was so very touched that she did that and I also Thank her husband John for letting me steal away his family for that long.
It was their first foray into that foreign land called THE SOUTH. Her kids were nervous about what they would have to eat and what language we spoke and probably did we have indoor plumbing. The 6 year old asked did we have "MacDonald's". Her youngest , a daughter from China, just smiled and jabbered and stole all of our hearts. The week was a total success.
The boys learned they love Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
they all learned to say "fixin" and "Gonna" and "Tumped"
I learned that zoos up north do not have alligators or crocodiles
and I learned that those Green lizards in my back yard are called Anoles
the brown ones Skinks
those big moths are Owl Moths
and we pretty much have more of every kind of bug and insect than they do in New Jersey.
I now feel like I am living in the middle of Wild Kingdom.
Funny how a new child's perspective on your everyday life can jazz things up.
Thanks Patrick.
Their visit also reaffirmed my diligence in keeping our families in touch, not just by emotion or phone or letter but physically in touch. All of our 5 children are through the miracle of adoption-4 from Russia and one from China. They are the only family I am close to that is the same as ours in that respect. I know in my heart and soul that not only is my connection with Christine vital to my sanity and existence but that our children's connection with each other as they grow up will also be just as vital to them on many levels. WE are already planning our next rendezvous.
Since my last post 3 more teeth have been lost. My daughter has lost 2 on the bottom-one she coerced me to pull with some hemostats because she could not stand it being loose. The second tooth, her kindergarten teacher had the honor so that Macy could go to the school nurse and get the plastic Tooth necklace to keep it in. This is apparently a most coveted piece of jewelry. Riley went to school one morning with a very loose front tooth and came home without it.
Being a man a few words , when asked where his tooth was he replied "Gone"
later that night he elaborated "tooth on the bus".OK.
Since my last post I lost my grandmother. She passed away at the age of 94.5 years old. She was my last remaining grandparent. We were planning a big 95 birthday party for her in Nov.
I still have the note written on the memo board in my kitchen reminding me to call her the week she passed away. I never did make that call. Always thought I would have time that Sat. to make it. She passed early Sat. Morning.I was very close to all of my grandparents.They were all such different personalities and taught me different things. The one thing they all had in common was making sure that the family stayed connected in thought and in action. My childhood is made up of many thousands of miles of road trips to visit my grandparents and cousins. Weeks at a time at spring break and holidays and in the summer. Long weekends for Easter, reunions or FSU football games. I can see many traits in myself that I got from each grandparent. I think these are things I picked up through nurture rather than nature. I believe because I spent so much time during all ages of my life with them that I learned or assimilated personality or opinions from them through osmosis via close contact. I am so thankful and grateful that my parents knew the worth in family and put forth the energy and time it took to keep family ties alive and well. I hope that I am doing that for my children and in my own family tree and in my husbands. I feel that we are. We just went to my Aunt's wedding in mid state Florida. Not so much to see my 70 year old aunt marry, but to get together with all of my cousins and family and make sure that my children got to know them and vice verse. Paying forward what my parents and their parents started. We laughed , told old stories, embarrassed our kids and vow to do it again soon.
So when I got the call early Saturday morning, a week ago, I was surprised, but not shocked. She had gone down in the past few weeks and was ready for the Lord to take her home.
I was sad because I hadn't made that phone call, but smiled remembering all the memories and time we had spent together through out my life. She knew she was well loved, as did I.
She taught me how to make Cornflake candy, Apple Cake and Roast with Noodle.
She taught me about my ancestors and to love our family history.
She told me funny stories about my Dad, the preacher's son, and all the antics he pulled as a boy.
She loved to write(As I do) and wrote out lots of family history and stories, recipes and antidotes for me to keep. A wonderful gift.
I can close my eyes and see her playing the organ in the big church as my Grandpa preached and tapping on her watch for him to see when he was being a little long winded and needed to wrap it up. After all , she and the other ladies of the church had Sunday dinner cooking in the oven. It always cracked us up when she did that. When all of the grand kids (8 of us) were in town on a Sunday. We would wait until the service was about to begin then we would all march in a single file line down the center aisle and sit on the front pew in front of the organ that Grandma would play. We sang the hymns loudly and badly and when we would fidget my Grandpa would leave the pulpit,walk to our pew, hand out lifesavers to us and never miss a beat or a word as he return to the podium. I have hundreds of memories like that.
Her funeral in the Hot Florida sun was sad, but mostly joyous. My cousins played their guitars and harmonica and we all sang. All of us together again. Another Family Memory. Afterward, all 50 of us went to the Golden Corral to eat before we each headed off to different states and different cities. Another family reunion of sorts.
I am sure that Grandma and Grandpa and my Dad were right there among us. Laughing at our stories and reminiscing with us.
Taking Pride that we are carrying on the family tradition and joyous in seeing us all together.
When we said our good byes we promised to get together again soon.
I hope we keep that promise.
To My Grandmother, Mabel Marie Minton, I will miss you and now I will be calling you often.
Just though a different calling service.
I love you Grandma.
If you have a parent or grandparent or sibling cousin or friend that you haven't touched base with in a while.
Do It Now.
I wish I had.
So much as happened in my world.
I guess it's best to start at the beginning.
During Spring Break my bestest friend brought her three children ALLLLL the way from the far North to see us. I have to say that no one has gone to that much trouble to see me, ever, in my entire life. She, with out husband along, boarded a plane with a 8 year old, a 6 year old and a 19 month old for the 3 hour flight to our house. ALONE! I was so very touched that she did that and I also Thank her husband John for letting me steal away his family for that long.
It was their first foray into that foreign land called THE SOUTH. Her kids were nervous about what they would have to eat and what language we spoke and probably did we have indoor plumbing. The 6 year old asked did we have "MacDonald's". Her youngest , a daughter from China, just smiled and jabbered and stole all of our hearts. The week was a total success.
The boys learned they love Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
they all learned to say "fixin" and "Gonna" and "Tumped"
I learned that zoos up north do not have alligators or crocodiles
and I learned that those Green lizards in my back yard are called Anoles
the brown ones Skinks
those big moths are Owl Moths
and we pretty much have more of every kind of bug and insect than they do in New Jersey.
I now feel like I am living in the middle of Wild Kingdom.
Funny how a new child's perspective on your everyday life can jazz things up.
Thanks Patrick.
Their visit also reaffirmed my diligence in keeping our families in touch, not just by emotion or phone or letter but physically in touch. All of our 5 children are through the miracle of adoption-4 from Russia and one from China. They are the only family I am close to that is the same as ours in that respect. I know in my heart and soul that not only is my connection with Christine vital to my sanity and existence but that our children's connection with each other as they grow up will also be just as vital to them on many levels. WE are already planning our next rendezvous.
Since my last post 3 more teeth have been lost. My daughter has lost 2 on the bottom-one she coerced me to pull with some hemostats because she could not stand it being loose. The second tooth, her kindergarten teacher had the honor so that Macy could go to the school nurse and get the plastic Tooth necklace to keep it in. This is apparently a most coveted piece of jewelry. Riley went to school one morning with a very loose front tooth and came home without it.
Being a man a few words , when asked where his tooth was he replied "Gone"
later that night he elaborated "tooth on the bus".OK.
Since my last post I lost my grandmother. She passed away at the age of 94.5 years old. She was my last remaining grandparent. We were planning a big 95 birthday party for her in Nov.
I still have the note written on the memo board in my kitchen reminding me to call her the week she passed away. I never did make that call. Always thought I would have time that Sat. to make it. She passed early Sat. Morning.I was very close to all of my grandparents.They were all such different personalities and taught me different things. The one thing they all had in common was making sure that the family stayed connected in thought and in action. My childhood is made up of many thousands of miles of road trips to visit my grandparents and cousins. Weeks at a time at spring break and holidays and in the summer. Long weekends for Easter, reunions or FSU football games. I can see many traits in myself that I got from each grandparent. I think these are things I picked up through nurture rather than nature. I believe because I spent so much time during all ages of my life with them that I learned or assimilated personality or opinions from them through osmosis via close contact. I am so thankful and grateful that my parents knew the worth in family and put forth the energy and time it took to keep family ties alive and well. I hope that I am doing that for my children and in my own family tree and in my husbands. I feel that we are. We just went to my Aunt's wedding in mid state Florida. Not so much to see my 70 year old aunt marry, but to get together with all of my cousins and family and make sure that my children got to know them and vice verse. Paying forward what my parents and their parents started. We laughed , told old stories, embarrassed our kids and vow to do it again soon.
So when I got the call early Saturday morning, a week ago, I was surprised, but not shocked. She had gone down in the past few weeks and was ready for the Lord to take her home.
I was sad because I hadn't made that phone call, but smiled remembering all the memories and time we had spent together through out my life. She knew she was well loved, as did I.
She taught me how to make Cornflake candy, Apple Cake and Roast with Noodle.
She taught me about my ancestors and to love our family history.
She told me funny stories about my Dad, the preacher's son, and all the antics he pulled as a boy.
She loved to write(As I do) and wrote out lots of family history and stories, recipes and antidotes for me to keep. A wonderful gift.
I can close my eyes and see her playing the organ in the big church as my Grandpa preached and tapping on her watch for him to see when he was being a little long winded and needed to wrap it up. After all , she and the other ladies of the church had Sunday dinner cooking in the oven. It always cracked us up when she did that. When all of the grand kids (8 of us) were in town on a Sunday. We would wait until the service was about to begin then we would all march in a single file line down the center aisle and sit on the front pew in front of the organ that Grandma would play. We sang the hymns loudly and badly and when we would fidget my Grandpa would leave the pulpit,walk to our pew, hand out lifesavers to us and never miss a beat or a word as he return to the podium. I have hundreds of memories like that.
Her funeral in the Hot Florida sun was sad, but mostly joyous. My cousins played their guitars and harmonica and we all sang. All of us together again. Another Family Memory. Afterward, all 50 of us went to the Golden Corral to eat before we each headed off to different states and different cities. Another family reunion of sorts.
I am sure that Grandma and Grandpa and my Dad were right there among us. Laughing at our stories and reminiscing with us.
Taking Pride that we are carrying on the family tradition and joyous in seeing us all together.
When we said our good byes we promised to get together again soon.
I hope we keep that promise.
To My Grandmother, Mabel Marie Minton, I will miss you and now I will be calling you often.
Just though a different calling service.
I love you Grandma.
If you have a parent or grandparent or sibling cousin or friend that you haven't touched base with in a while.
Do It Now.
I wish I had.
1 Comments:
sorry to hear about your grandmother. it's hard to see them go -
today would have been my grandmother's 88th bday... so i'm right there with you...
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