Today…is…was…my Granny’s birthday…she was born January 11, 1895…
weighing in at about three pounds…not sure how accurate that is…but she said they kept her bundled up in a shoe box to keep her warm…
It’s difficult for me to wrap my head around that in a way…having worked on Mother-Baby units…seeing firsthand how precarious it can be to care for the tiny ones…even with fancy monitors and incubators…how they managed in a drafty log cabin in the Bankhead Forest…without electricity…to do that…I’ll never know…
All I know is…she had quite a feisty spirit…
In fact…Bertha…and her words of wisdom remind me of Granny…I wonder if that is a coincidence…no…I think not…
One of the most profound things Granny ever told me came about one summer afternoon…I was keeping my two nephews…a toddler and a crawler…for my sister to work for Mama at the John Deere place…they lived next door to Granny…who was probably in her early 70’s at the time…so we often gravitated to her house…this afternoon…I was working in the garden…and Granny was watching the boys on the porch…
The porch was about three feet off the ground…and she…sitting in her favorite rocker…had her hands full…just keeping them from falling off…not to mention…out of trouble…
I’m not sure who was more tired by the time that I had finished my garden chores…but I suspect it was her…because she made the comment that I have never forgotten…
The good Lord sure knew what he was doing when he didn’t let old women have little babies…
Shortly after that…school started back for me…my sister decided that bookkeeping wasn’t her calling…and started to college to be a teacher…my nephews went to daycare…Granny continued to rock on her porch…
But…somehow…we were all richer for the experience…
So this morning…in honor of Granny’s 117th birthday…I took a few moments…to sit in her rocker…on my little porch…in the dark and misting rain…just to appreciate the woman that she was…and the woman that she helped me become…
Jane
This is precious, Jane. And your Granny certainly knew what she was talking about.
Thanks, Peggy. I understand that you are getting some firsthand knowledge of this principle! Your granddaughter is adorable!
How beautiful that is Jane!
I have so many favorite memories of my Nana…
Going to the mall – and she loved me so much she bought me a HUGE princess castle – and carried it home – on the bus… and then 6 blocks back to the house…
Her cooking in her kitchen and just the smell of homemade whatever… spaghetti, bacon, roast beef… and the smile on her face as she did it…
Never letting me be even slightly hungry… “Are ya hungry dear?” “No Nana, I’m fine for now…” “Well… I’ve got eggs, bacon, I can make you pancakes, how about a sandwich… I can make whatever you want…”
Nana singing me all the old songs she knew… teaching me the Lord’s Prayer…
Sitting on her porch in the summer time… watching the people go by…
Ok – I’ll stop! Jeez Jane – I could be here all day talking about my Nana 😉
Jenn,
I love your Nana stories! I hope my granddaughters will have some wonderful memories of me one day!
Oh I’m sure they already do 😉
Awww…that is so sweet, Jenn. Thank you! At this point I think their most favorite memory would be of wearing my shoes. One of the first things they do when they get here is to hit my closet and start clomping!