Celebrating Gma

"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. Her children arise and call her blessed; Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate." Prov 31:10 - 12, 25 - 26, 28 - 31

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, my Gma celebrated her 89th birthday last week. Like I did for my mother, I decided to create a list of things I love about Gma. And, to get in on the fun I invited my sister and four cousins to send me things they cherish about Gma. It didn't take long for us to have a long list, 89 things to be exact!

With the help of my crafty sister, I made a small scrapbook for Gma, listing these 89 things we love about her. I don't think I've ever seen Gma as touched and happy about a gift as this one. Within a day of her receiving it, she'd already instructed my sister and a cousin that this book is to be buried with her. And Gma has already called me wanting to know who submitted what to me. She's got them figured out for the most part, though!

Gma has no clue about this blog, and I don't really foresee ever trying to explain it to her. Gma might be a savy, young 89-year-old, but computer-smart she ain't! So, this is really for my family and for me! Enjoy!



Your soft, sweet “Yello” when you answer the phone

How in every birthday card ever, you explain that I might be your 5th grandchild but it doesn’t mean you love me any less than your first four.

Chocolate cupcakes at your house were always better than anywhere else

The time I came to visit and you were on your neighbor’s back porch talking. Shortly after I sat down, I learned what y’all were gossiping about happened in the 70s!

Your never-ending commitment to Gpa through the years

Teaching me that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Getting onto Gpa when he’d scare me with Fireball’s eyes

You taught me the proper way to say “w-a-s-h”…warsh, as in go get a warsh cloth

How neat and pristine your house always is.

How proud you are of your 5 great grandchildren

How you aren’t afraid to ask Tim when he’ll produce another great for you!

Ethan was convinced from about the time he was 3 to just recently that G-ma was on TV whenever I’d have Paula Deen’s cooking show on the TV. No amount of arguing would persuade him to think otherwise! “G-ma is ON TV!!!!”

Not ever seeing you cry until the night after G-pa’s funeral when we were all sitting in your living room. It was one of the most moving and pinnacle moments of my life.

NO ONE can beat G-ma’s cupcakes with the chocolate icing! I used to sneak into the kitchen at the lake whenever you brought them and eat them…I must have eaten 10 in one day!!

I really do hold you in such high regard- I am still to this day in awe of your character and marriage to G-pa and so grateful for the legacy you will leave to all of us.

I loved you ‘rattling pans’ when cooking dinner. G-pa always was trying to watch Bonanza or Sanford and Son and he’d get so aggravated! He’d always yell that you missed one and you’d always retort, ‘oh, Ted…’ Classic!

I love you for being my mom’s ‘Mother’ and for loving ‘your Nancy’. You were a good mom to my mom. SO many things my mom did, she got from you, G-ma. And what I’ve noticed since mom is gone is that I now do some things like both you and Mom.

I loved helping you in your gardens.

I tell Emma all the time of how you used to wrap your hair in toilet paper to go to sleep. Emma thinks that is hysterical but isn’t it so cute!

I love watching (or listening) to you be a backseat driver!

I love how dedicated and devoted you have been to your church. I have memories of you dressing me all up in little dresses with “fancy panties” and taking me to Mabel White to show off “Nancy’s daughter”.

I love your quiet strength. You know it’s made of steel!

I loved (and still do) you telling me stories of your life as a girl and when you met G-pa (slack in your pants!) You never offered those stories but you would always tell them to me when I asked.

I love the toy drawer you used to have for all of us. Do we even know where in the world you got those noise maker tubes with the marbles? I loved those and the black rubber gorilla.

I love the fact that at 89 you still look beautiful and take meticulous care of the way you dress and your appearance. Any of my friends who have ever met you or seen pictures of you cannot believe you are in your 80’s.

I love how you loved my husband from day 1…Eric loves you too!

I loved having the only “G-ma” of any of my friends growing up. In fact, I still haven’t met anyone outside of our family who has a G-ma!

I loved how you came up to help me with the baby after I had Emma, even though I was completely moody, neurotic and hormonal. Just the fact that you’d come to Atlanta at your age was such a sweet and special gesture.

Eating a bucket of KFC after church with all of G-ma’s side dishes on Sundays when we’d visit.

I love all your costume jewelry in your jewelry box!!!!!!! Your jewelry box and your lipstick holders are two of my favorite things EVER!

Your re-used, ready-made gift bows.

Your “Well, I declare!" interjections.

The reinforcing, steadfast Christian influence you and G-pa guided me with through the years.

The hope you give me that, perhaps, I’ll be in half as good a shape as you are at 89, if the good Lord lets me reach that age.

The way you love your daughter-in-law as if she were your own.

You talking about Krystal hamburgers and "tacos" (pronounced with a short "a" like in pat, rat, bat...)

Lake Sinclair...family, fun, the cabin, the refrigerator, the screened porch, boat rides, endless summer days of just being

Check brand ginger ale

Missy...and your gentleness in redirecting me from torturing that dog

Wimbish Road

Your love for the Lord

Turkey dressing at Thanksgiving

Strength of character

Love for and devotion to family

"Everyone totes their own sack of rocks." I heard you make this comment several years back, and for some reason it really stuck with me. I find myself saying it quite often.

Sock-it-to-me Cake, Cowboy Cookies, Buckeyes, and Chex Party Mix

Pine straw

Daytona Beach....family, fun, "early bird specials" at restaurants

Your Hershey kiss Christmas tree

The playhouse (i.e. storage building) behind the Wimbish Road house

Grace and beauty beyond compare

Plum jelly

Playing with your jewelry and make up

Christmas Day

Role model for me and my girls

Playing Checkers, Go Fish, Croquet, and Old Maid

"Co-cola" never tasted better than poured over half-moon ice cubes in smiley face glasses

Roller skating over the roots on Wimbish Road driveway

My fave ice cream was always chocolate peanut butter & you would make me a dish regularly!

You MIXED the peanut butter & jelly BEFORE putting it on the bread!

You lookin' stylish in your swimsuit @ the beach or @ the lake

One time you told me, "God sure broke the mold when he made you!"

The smell of bacon & eggs in your yellow kitchen. Now whenever I smell this glorious smell, it's not just glorious 'cuz it's bacon & eggs; it's glorious 'cuz it's breakfast at Gma's!

The multicolored hickory nuts on display

The small, yet palm-sized for a little girl, soaps you kept in your front bathrooms

Your commitment to order (do & do not signs @ the lake)

The miniature colored-glass bottles, which always struck my imagination as royal kings & queens

The "we aim to please" sign. I remember when that first appeared, it was almost shocking but in a funny way

That Gma & Gpa would meet my parents halfway to pick me or me & sis up to stay a few days in Macon.

The ritual stop @ Fresh Air...another nostalgic smell, although I think I rarely ate bbq

Calling out for Gma & your singsong answering of "woo-oo!"

yummmm...apple cake

Your car ALWAYS smells brand new, even when it's years old!

How you save and reuse your aluminum foil!

You taught me how to play hop scotch in the carport at 757 Wimbish Rd

I loved the days you and Gpa would pick me up from school when I was in kindergarten, we would go get a personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut and go to your house to eat it, then I would get to watch nickelodeon

The time we stayed with you and Gpa when mom and dad went to San Francisco, I was in K5 and got my first sad face in my Friday folder. You were NOT happy about that, I was more scared to tell you than momma!

During that same trip you would wrap my thumb in tape before school so I wouldn't suck it; I was VERY embarrassed about this too!

Playing "dress-up" with all of Mom’s old dresses you hemmed to fit me

The smell of Campho-Phenique reminds me of boo boos at your house

The best pancakes ever!

Watching Wheel of Fortune with you and Gpa and us all guessing what color Vanna White’s dress would be that night

The first time you ate dinner at mine and Brian’s apartment, you were SO impressed that I could entertain guests!

Watching you talk to little Ellie

Doing a snow angel at the house on Wimbish Road in all of my clothes and having to wear your clothes home!

How you know the names of just about every flower ever!

The critters in the house plants that lived on Wimbish Road

Children’s Table at each family function

The living room we never used on Wimbish Road; we were not allowed in that nice room!