It's the Little Things

Yesterday I received a message from one of Bob's classmates.  It was the anniversary of his Daddy's birth and he shared a picture of him and a few words including "He was a good man." 

I replied with a few words of my own and the last sentence was "Hope your day is full of precious memories!"  If you know me, I started remembering moments and memories of my own Daddy.  It really is "little things" that spur our mind and our heart to remember and cherish those who were, and still are, a part of us.

Pots and Pans
As I was washing up some pots and pans this afternoon, I thought of Daddy.  I was struggling to get some "crud" off of the bottom side and edge of the pan.  My thought was, if Daddy was here he would have the bottoms of my pans sparkling clean. 

When he would come over to visit when my girls were little he quite often help me clean up the kitchen.  When we lived on the farm he would help in the kitchen or mop and buff the floors for me.*  He would stand at the sink with a cloth or apron around his waist and a dishtowel thrown over his shoulder.

When Mother and Daddy lived in Yuma, they would visit Brenda and me here in Kansas.  After family meals, many of which he had cooked, he would head to the kitchen sink.  If it was a holiday meal or family get together here, Arizona, Texas, or where ever we were he would volunteer the men to clean up the kitchen.

It was a little thing, but I think doing "little things" for others could be labelled his Love Language.

*I'm sad to say he never got to see (or clean)my beautiful wood floors that Bob and Annie stripped and finished for me in our last home.  He would have loved them and been happy that I had them.

Pappy's Girl

This little girl LOVES her Pappy!  

She will "settle" for Gram if Pappy is out of the house and maybe if he is in another room.   

Selah enjoyed helping Pappy cook Sausage Gravy for breakfast 

Reading with Pappy 

Visiting Aunt Brenda's flower shop found her clinging to Pappy for most of the visit

 Selah and Pappy were partners during Hide & Seek.  They found some great hiding places.

 Like I said "She's Pappy's girl"

Weekend Visitors

Over the Memorial Day weekend we were blessed to have Chloe, Kaleah, and Selah while their Momma and Daddy had some time away to celebrate their 12th anniversary.  They brought much JOY to Gram and Pappy as well as MaMaw Wood, Great Grandma Keesee, and Great Aunt Brenda.  We packed a whole lot of fun into the weekend!

The piano continues to be a source of entertainment and they seem to enjoy playing it together.

Happy Birthday Daddy

New Year's Day is my Daddy's birthday.  He would have been 84 years old yesterday, so I guess it is the 84th anniversary of his birth.  I have really missed my Daddy this last year and I haven't been to his grave since Memorial Day.  It isn't that I feel compelled to go or that I feel you have to visit a grave.  It is simply that it is a spot where my whole focus can be on him, the life he lived, the Christian man he was, and what a wonderful Daddy he was.  I like to go alone or have Bob take me.  I usually go on Father's Day - some times I take a card or note, others it is a Bible Class project that my students and I make about our Dads.  Sometimes I just go, I sit and think about the past, the here & now, or even the future.

When we started the trip to Logan on New Year's Day there were kids (and some parents) sledding at the park.  I thought about how Daddy loved to take the grandkids to the park when it snowed.  Of course, a few of us parents (a/k/a kids) loved to go too.  It was so much fun and my girls loved that PaPaw would think of doing something so fun with them.  

The sun was setting as we drove west.  Daddy loved to watch the sun set - to view the picture that God had painted for us.  It is a good time to reflect on God's majesty, His power, and His love for us.  I must admit that Kansas Sunsets are AMAZING!

I think Daddy picked this cemetery plot for it's view.  You can stand there and see his hometown of Logan, KS, there's a field to the south which is home to some horses in warmer seasons.  Off to the west and northwest there are some grasses & country scenery. It was dusk and hard to see, but I know Daddy enjoyed the view.  A person can just pick a spot and slowly turn around and see the land that God created.

Off to the southwest is Logan, Daddy's hometown.  He attended school there, it is the town where my brother Bob was born.  Logan is the town my Grandparents lived in for over 50 years. 

These words just about sum up my Daddy's life.  Now I wish we had put "Christian" under his name.  He wasn't a Christian when he met my Mother.  When they became Christians, God molded them into the spouses, parents and grandparents that God intended them to be.  I thank God for putting me into their  family!

We took Maddie with us - she enjoyed running while I reminisced, took a few pictures, and shed a few tears.  When I started crying, Bob just held me.  

I MISS MY DADDY!

Selah

When I saw this picture, it seemed to speak to me.  There had been some moments during Jacqueline's pregnancy as well as labor and delivery which were truly dramatic moments.  Not the "drama" of over-reaction, or "drama" of an late term pregnant woman, just plain heart in your throat drama, moments of tears and concern and tears of THANKFULNESS!  Sweet Selah Grace was here - healthy, a little small, but safely here.  I imagine her thinking 

"Oh, Momma, I have waited 9 months to feel your arms around me.  It feels so good to have you hold me."  

or

"Oh Momma, I am so glad to finally meet you, to look into your eyes, and feel your arms holding me."

Our thoughts were "Thank you God for bringing this sweet girl safely into this world.  Thank you for a healthy granddaughter.  Thank you for keeping our daughter safe through this pregnancy and delivery."  

(Thank you Tracy for capturing this moment for this Gram.)

GRAM

My Grandma Wood used to sign our birthday cards, Christmas cards, and notes "Gram & Gramps"  I loved  her written "Grandma" name, and to this day I don't know why she didn't have us call her "Gram".  Way back when, I thought I would like that to be the name my grandchildren would call me....  Years later my sister Brenda's chosen Grandma name was "Grammy" and I began to rethink what I would be called, Gram was kind of close to Grammy and I considered being "Nanna".  When we were expecting our first grandchild Jacqueline and I discussed my new name and she assured me that Gram could be my name if that was what I wanted to be called.  I am now Gram to seven precious grandbabies ranging from 3 weeks to 4 years old.

For Valentines Day this year Brenda (aka Grammy) and Becky gave me a sweet gift.  

You know it will be wonderful, that you will love your grandbabies, and that you will love being a grandparent.  Not until you catch that first glimpse of that little one, until you snuggle them in your arms, until you sing "Jesus Loves Me" to them, you cannot imagine just how wonderful it really is.

Here are the precious little ones who call me GRAM and who hold a special place in my heart.

Selah Grace

William Devin

Elisha Christopher

Lillian Bree (Miss Lilly)

Jeremiah Piper

Kaleah Faith

Chloe Mae

Big Brother Meets Little Brother

Jeremiah was a little unsure of things at first.  Here was Momma in a hospital bed surrounded by lots of people and she was holding a baby.

It didn't take him long to want to check out his new brother, Elisha.

 

Momma and her boys.

Pappy was close by to offer a little reassurance.

Going in for a closer look with Grandma Beth.

 

Watching Elisha get his first bath - he screamed through most of it.  Jeremiah calls it "making noises" which sounds so much nicer than "the baby is crying"