The Love of Grandparents

This weekend we are dedicating Carson to the Lord at our church.  He will have both sets of his grandparents there as well.  He is one blessed little guy.  I found myself telling him on Sunday that he hit the grandparent jackpot.  He did.  He could not have asked for better grandparents.  

I found myself getting a little emotional about my own grandparents.  I was blessed in the grandparent department just like Carson.  I had all four of my grandparents around for the majority of my life.  Three of my four grandparents are still alive.  My Pa James passed away my sophomore year in college.  I was also blessed with what I call my adopted grandparents.  

I hope Carson knows what a blessing it is to have grandparents.  I can't wait to tell him stories about his grandparents and I know that my grandparents will have stories to tell him of his Mom.  I want him to love going to see his grandparents.  

I loved that my Pa James would buy me a Snickers bar and put it in the fridge for me.  When I would go to eat, there would be a big piece gone.  Yes, he liked to share my Snickers.  He also introduced me to several words that I probably should not repeat. 

I love that even now my Grandma wants to make sure she has orange juice when I come to visit.  She loved to call us and would leave a voicemail that would say she didn't need anything.  She was just checking in.  Even now she will say that to me on the phone.  She always made sure we knew how to sit a table and she made the best oatmeal volcanoes for breakfast.  That's right.  She would put the butter and brown sugar in our bowl first so that when she poured the oatmeal on top it would create a volcano and come through.  Of course we had to eat our oatmeal or cream of wheat with a side of cinnamon toast.

My Pa Mayford was and is still one of the hardest working people I have ever met.  I always knew that he valued hard work and being a man of God.  He always wanted bread with his meal and dessert after a meal.  He also taught me to appreciate Town House crackers.  I can promise you that they are the best buttery crackers.  Why you ask?  Well, because that is what my Pa taught me.

Carson, then you have my Mema.  Mema always has purple finger nails in the summer.  Why you ask?  That is because in the summer she always made lots of blackberry jam.  She spent hours straining all of the seeds out because that is how Pa liked his blackberry jam and cobbler.  She also makes the best biscuits & gravy there is.  In fact for many years, I would only eat hers.  I now only eat hers and my Moms.  Yes, your Mom is kinda picky.  She only eats the best.  I also think you should know that Mema gives the longest hugs you will ever get.  She hugs you and she doesn't let go.  

I am thankful that I can think of many memories of my grandparents.  I know that many people do not have that luxury.  Carson, please know that you do have great grandparents and that they love you more than you will ever know.  You have changed them.  You have given them each a new name.  I hope you always know how special you are to your Grandpa, Mimi, Pappy and Grammy.