Tonight I'm thankful for my grandparents.
My Grandpa Clifton, who passed away before I was even born. I've always been told that he was excited about me. I wish I would have been given the chance to get to know him. From the accounts of my mom and her sisters, it sounds like he was quite a character. He was a preacher and a hard worker. He was a snazzy dresser and his favorite place to pray was in the woods. He would do without himself if someone else needed help. Once a new family came to our church. During a conversation, she found out that I was Clifton Wheeler's granddaughter- she knew who I was by word of mouth about my grandfather who had passed away 20 years ago!
Before she died, my Mamaw told me about how excited she was to get to see him again in Heaven. I never knew him, but I'm thankful that he loved my mom and for the things he taught her. He taught her about Jesus. And she, in turn, taught the same thing for me.
My Mamaw, who passed away almost 4(!) years ago. I can't believe it's been that long. I miss her like crazy. Sometimes I still find myself picking up the phone to call her when I'm in the grocery store... that was our "thing". I'd call her while I was grocery shopping and we'd have an hour long conversation about everything and about nothing. Mamaw was special. One of a kind. She never put herself first. She was hardworking and unselfish. She quit her job so that she could stay home and keep me while my mother worked. She opened up her home to countless children and showed us all the right way to live. She taught us about the Bible, how to pray, how to love one another. How to turn the other cheek.
She also taught me how to use a rolling pin to roll out dough, how to make an Italian Cream cake, and she gave me a love of Soap Operas (much to my mother's dismay).
When it was my turn to have babies, she stayed home with them so that I could work. She spoiled Shaun rotten. He can still name most of the singers in The Gaither Homecoming videos. One of my most cherished possessions is a card my Mamaw gave to me on my first Mother's Day. She traced Shaun's little hand prints inside and left a message telling me that I was a wonderful mommy. She should know.. there was never a better mother/grandma/greatgrandma than her!
She was with me when I went to my last OB appointment with Shaun. I was back in the exam room and the midwife was concerned about Shaun's lack of movement. I made the nurse go get Mamaw from the waiting room. I was all in a panic when she finally found me and she managed to calm me down. She went with me to the hospital and when Shaun was born so sick she prayed and prayed for his healing.
I'll never forget the time I made her go with me to Jordan's doctors appointment. He had reflux badly and threw up all the time. I had taken him to several appointments before this but the doctor was reluctant to prescribe any medication to help. I came home from work one afternoon and Mamaw told me to "call that place and make another appointment" because she'd been "thrown up on all day long and somethings needs to get done". She rode with me to the doctors office and came back to the exam room. Our doctor at the time began giving us his reasons for not wanting to put Jordan on any medications and my sweet little Mamaw pointed her finger at him and said, "Now you listen to me. I've kept babies for over 40 years and this is not normal!"
Doctor E looked at her and then he looked at me and said, "Well okay. Grandma has spoken". Mamaw hmmphed and said, "Greatgrandma"!
How she made me laugh!
I remember when she was diagnosed with cancer. And then when we found out that it wasn't going to go away. Our life was shattered. My sister and I were sitting by her bedside one night toward the end of her life. She was sleeping and we were whispering how much we loved her through our tears. My mom walked in, put her arms around both of us and whispered, "Hasn't she been a good one?". Indeed. I couldn't have asked for more.
With my Mamaw on our last Christmas together.
Shaun and Mamaw in their Christmas clothes.
My Grandpa Clifton, who passed away before I was even born. I've always been told that he was excited about me. I wish I would have been given the chance to get to know him. From the accounts of my mom and her sisters, it sounds like he was quite a character. He was a preacher and a hard worker. He was a snazzy dresser and his favorite place to pray was in the woods. He would do without himself if someone else needed help. Once a new family came to our church. During a conversation, she found out that I was Clifton Wheeler's granddaughter- she knew who I was by word of mouth about my grandfather who had passed away 20 years ago!
Before she died, my Mamaw told me about how excited she was to get to see him again in Heaven. I never knew him, but I'm thankful that he loved my mom and for the things he taught her. He taught her about Jesus. And she, in turn, taught the same thing for me.
My Mamaw, who passed away almost 4(!) years ago. I can't believe it's been that long. I miss her like crazy. Sometimes I still find myself picking up the phone to call her when I'm in the grocery store... that was our "thing". I'd call her while I was grocery shopping and we'd have an hour long conversation about everything and about nothing. Mamaw was special. One of a kind. She never put herself first. She was hardworking and unselfish. She quit her job so that she could stay home and keep me while my mother worked. She opened up her home to countless children and showed us all the right way to live. She taught us about the Bible, how to pray, how to love one another. How to turn the other cheek.
She also taught me how to use a rolling pin to roll out dough, how to make an Italian Cream cake, and she gave me a love of Soap Operas (much to my mother's dismay).
When it was my turn to have babies, she stayed home with them so that I could work. She spoiled Shaun rotten. He can still name most of the singers in The Gaither Homecoming videos. One of my most cherished possessions is a card my Mamaw gave to me on my first Mother's Day. She traced Shaun's little hand prints inside and left a message telling me that I was a wonderful mommy. She should know.. there was never a better mother/grandma/greatgrandma than her!
She was with me when I went to my last OB appointment with Shaun. I was back in the exam room and the midwife was concerned about Shaun's lack of movement. I made the nurse go get Mamaw from the waiting room. I was all in a panic when she finally found me and she managed to calm me down. She went with me to the hospital and when Shaun was born so sick she prayed and prayed for his healing.
I'll never forget the time I made her go with me to Jordan's doctors appointment. He had reflux badly and threw up all the time. I had taken him to several appointments before this but the doctor was reluctant to prescribe any medication to help. I came home from work one afternoon and Mamaw told me to "call that place and make another appointment" because she'd been "thrown up on all day long and somethings needs to get done". She rode with me to the doctors office and came back to the exam room. Our doctor at the time began giving us his reasons for not wanting to put Jordan on any medications and my sweet little Mamaw pointed her finger at him and said, "Now you listen to me. I've kept babies for over 40 years and this is not normal!"
Doctor E looked at her and then he looked at me and said, "Well okay. Grandma has spoken". Mamaw hmmphed and said, "Greatgrandma"!
How she made me laugh!
I remember when she was diagnosed with cancer. And then when we found out that it wasn't going to go away. Our life was shattered. My sister and I were sitting by her bedside one night toward the end of her life. She was sleeping and we were whispering how much we loved her through our tears. My mom walked in, put her arms around both of us and whispered, "Hasn't she been a good one?". Indeed. I couldn't have asked for more.
With my Mamaw on our last Christmas together.
Shaun and Mamaw in their Christmas clothes. 
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