Not only am I blessed to still have my Granny at this point in my life, but God has also allowed me to spend the past three decades soaking up quality time with my maternal grandparents - Grandma Nora Ann and Granddaddy Eddie. I love that they too have the opportunity to enjoy their great grandkids, and that they are always there to give advice when I need it.
From the time I was a little girl, I've spent lots of time at my
grandparents' house. Though there weren't usually any kids around to play with and they only had maybe two or three channels that worked, I enjoyed shadowing them so much that it didn't really matter.Whether we were sitting on the carport snapping beans or I was hunting for the fallen clothes pins in the grass as Grandma pulled the clothes off the line, I was right by her side. (My poor mom probably felt a little jealous at times when I'd talk about how Grandma Nora Ann was my favorite person in the world.) I'd ride on Granddaddy's leg as he gave me horsie rides and snuggle up to him in that large fruit-patterned chair they had tucked in one corner of the living room. I'd get bumped around in that rusty pick-up and stand on the tailgate "helping" to dip water for the cows out of the river. It was the perfect place, a safe haven from the stresses of school and my favorite childhood getaway. Being there was like a healing salve when I'd come home from college and needed familiarity to ease my anxieties. It's always been where I wanted to be.
Living so close now, you'd think I'd be up there everyday with these two people who have been my world for so long. Even 25 minutes apart though can be a lot when you have to drag three little ones with you. The kids and I usually get up on the early side while Grandma, who doesn't rest well at night, sleeps in later, making it hard to find a good time to drop by when we aren't running into meal times or naps. Plus, while Granny's house is set up with a playroom and lots of open space for the little ones, my grandparents' house isn't quite as kid friendly these days with lots of decor items that I have to try to keep my busy babies from breaking.
Though I wish I was better at getting up there, we still get plenty of opportunities to see one another. I try to invite them frequently to drop by my house if they have an appointment in town or something out this way and other times they just drop by on their own accord - sometimes planned and others unexpectedly. Either way, the kids are thrilled when they hear that knock on the door and see Grandma "Ann" and Peppaw through the window. Caleb tries to open the door struggling the child proof knob and Hadley's grinning widely as she waits in anticipation of them to come in off the porch.
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| One day Granddaddy was blowing "raspberries" on her belly and now she wants him to do it all the time. |
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| She pulls her shirt up, exposing her soft little tummy expectantly for him to tickle her. |
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| Grandma's been a Reid snuggler the past few months. |
Grandma's in her 70s and Granddaddy's in his mid-80s, but they both can be big kids. While Grandma doesn't move too fast these days because she has so many aches and pains, she can still chase those great grandbabies around when they want her too and they love it! I don't know who giggles more, her or the kids.
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| The monster is going to get you! |
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| This girl is loving it! |
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| Help your sister, Cay-Cay! |
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| Sneaking up.... |
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| Ahhh....get out of there! |
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| Oh no, is she going to get the baby? |
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| Poor Hadley got caught. |
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| Tickle tickle |
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| "I think I'm just going to play with this ball." |
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| "I sure hope they don't step on me." |
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| "My family is a little wacko." |
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| The Tickle Monster strikes again. |
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| Peppaw's in on it this time. |
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| Who else you going to learn your wrestling moves from but your great grandma? |
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| Relaxing |
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| What a smile |
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| Just sweetness |
Don't get me wrong, we do get to their house too sometimes. Grandma has a toy section in her sun room with a basket full of toys, but we especially enjoy it when the weather is warm and we can be outdoors.
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| She loves to give them treats. |
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| I may not be his shadow any more, but it looks like Granddaddy's gained a new one. |
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| I don't know how much longer Peppaw will be able to keep those cattle, but I hope my kids will have some memories of riding back on the hill to visit them - the smell of his old pick-up and the sound of way Granddaddy calls the cows in. |
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| As the land changes and more and more grows up in this area, I also hope they'll keep a picture in their mind of these peaceful scenes of farm living in the valley. |
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| Most importantly, I hope they remember the way this man did things. They way he walked as he headed to open the gates... |
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| The way he drove that old truck over those ruts and that bumpy landscape... |
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| ...and the way he looked at them as he enjoyed their excitement and interest in just doing what he does. |
Another favorite pasttime I used to do in the summer at my grandparents' house was pick tons of blackberries. While those old bushes have long been cleared away and I'm sad the kids won't be gathering tubs full of berries up at the farm like I did, thankfully we have some in our own yard now. When Hadley came up to Granddaddy with a bucket one evening saying "pick berries," that old farm boy couldn't resist our sweet baby girl. At least in some ways the tradition continues...
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| Tickling Reid's toes |
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| There they go... |
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| Caleb was still in his pjs...silly boy |
After we all went inside, the kids snuggled in while Peppaw read them a book about fossils at Caleb's request. Reid isn't much for sitting still, but even he was right there by his great granddaddy's knee pulling up and trying to get some attention.
There are so many places to travel and things to check out, but it's these simple moments that are worth more than any of those combined. The still moments can sometimes be the sweetest.
