"What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies." -Rudolph Giuliani
I remember the first time we made them. While watching hummingbirds out the kitchen window and standing on my toes to reach everything she directed me with each ingredient to add next. Not caring about the mess or eggshells that would have to be picked out of the bowl, she was letting me be a "big girl" and fix it on my own.
Each time I was over to her house for lunch, we had a routine. As she was finishing up cooking the meal, I would set the table. Placing the place mats, plates, napkins, silverware, glasses and cans of pop just right. We would always fix a seat for Mamaw, a seat for myself, and a seat for Jesus. She always made sure I remembered to set His place at the table for lunch. After the plates were full of the best smelling, home cooked cornbread and all the other delicious southern must haves, we'd bow our heads and say the blessing.
After lunch we'd always got out on the porch and swing, go feed the neighbors horses apples or (and my favorite activity) we'd go into the back yard and sit under the Acorn Trees with all the acorns scattered around in the grass. Some of the acorns would have the tops off of them and those we'd pick up and place in a container or near the bird bath in the center of her yard with all the flowers around it. Every time she'd tell me a story about how when the sunsets and all the beautiful colors are in the sky, God's Angels come down to earth and have a tea party! They sit beneath the trees, stare at the sky and drink their tea out of the Acorn Tops. As a little girl I could stare for what seemed like forever at that spot imagining beautiful angels coming down from Heaven to have a tea party and watch the marvelous sunset! And to this day, when I'm in her backyard, I can't help but glance at the spot beneath the Acorn Trees and imagine beautiful Angels sitting and enjoying evening tea out of those acorn tops!
My heart is full of so many amazing memories with my Mamaw. As I've gotten older, and I don't get to spend as much time with her, but every time I see her, our routine hasn't changed. Her hugs are the same, her talks are the same, she is the same. She is still my place of comfort whenever things go wrong. She is a voice of reason when I begin to think selfishly instead of selflessly. So many evenings I have spent sitting beside her on the front porch swing, laying my head on her shoulder either crying, laughing, or just simply being quiet as she talks to me and reassures me everything will be okay. That she loves me, God loves me and I will always be her "Linney-poo" no matter how old I am. As we watch God's hand painted sunset creep down over a pasture. She is my hearts second home. She's been there through all the good times, all the hard times, the pouts, smiles, laughs, and cries. She's taught me so much and has always been there when I needed her, all it has taken is a phone call and she came immediately. In 2007 my dad got very sick and one night my sister and mom had to rush him to the hospital. I was left by myself and was so scared and terrified I didn't know what to do. All I could do is call Mamaw and before I knew it she was here. And she stayed with me that night and never left my side. I am so blessed that she is my Mamaw.
She is proof that God will not allow something to be away from you without giving you what you need. You see, Mamaw Bea is not my mother's mom or my father's mom. She isn't even blood relation. Both of my grandmas live in Ohio and I didn't get to see them so often growing up. My parents moved down here 35 years ago(for my dad's job) with a 4 year old and a 1 year old. 3 hours away from both of their families. All they had was each other. Shortly after moving here, my dad met a lady that worked in one of the stores he supplied. Long story short and two kids later, her and her daughter became apart of our family quickly. She adopted us kids as her grand kids, her daughter adopted us as nieces and nephews and we adopted her as our Mamaw Bea and Connie as our Aunt. God knew that our family would need them and that they would need us. He brought us together as family and I am so thankful He did! There hasn't been a holiday, birthday, wedding, graduation, family dinner, or event that they have missed. He knew that we would need a Mamaw and Aunt down here in Kentucky, that Mom would need a second mom and sister while our family were in Ohio and He sent us Mamaw Bea and Aunt Connie. Not only is Mamaw Bea my adopted Mamaw, but she has helped me be closer with my biological grandmas. Family is the most important thing to Mamaw, second to God! And she always said- you can never have too much family, because at the end of the day-they will always be there for you and will always love you! She is a true Proverbs 31 woman, with a heart full of God's love! She's taught me so many valuable lessons while growing up and to this day, I'm constantly learning from her! From forgiveness, to understanding, to prayer, and staying in God's word, and most importantly, how to properly feed a horse so it doesn't chomp on your hand! (Another story for another day! Lol)
Mamaw didn't have to met us, she wasn't forced to get to know our family, she didn't have to adopted us, she didn't have to love us. But she did. She chose us, she chose us to be her family and we chose her. Well God chose her, and she listened to what he was saying to her. And for that, I am beyond words thankful and blessed. She is one of my angels sent to earth, that God knew I would need to be my Mamaw Bea and I love her so much!
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