Cant' sleep...

I went to bed last night about 11 p.m. At 12 a.m., I was still wide awake. So, I came downstairs and worked on an idea I had for a Christmas card. Then, I went back to bed. At 2 a.m., I was still awake, so I cam downstairs and journaled a bit. This is what you get at 2 a.m., after spending a night traveling down memory lane :)

The kids and I went to my Mom and Dad’s last night for dinner because Matt was working late. While there, my Dad started talking about some things he’d found in the attic that were my Grandma Hughes’s. He brought a few things down, but I wasn’t convinced that an old floor lamp and breakfast table were the only treasures to be found up there. Curious, I went on a treasure hunt! I only spent a short time up there and found things such as some old pictures, an old waterbed (at one time, my entire family had water beds), some camping gear (probably from the 70’s), A TON of Christmas decorations and wrapping paper, and a few totes FILLED to the brim with history! Included was a radio that my Dad remembered getting when he was about 14. I also found a rocking chair that I used when I played with my babies (I brought that home to Adrianna). These are just a few of the things that I discovered on my treasure hunt, but I literally stopped in my tracks when I found the tote that was filled with things that belong to my Great Grandma (Gram), who died in March of 2001.

I was about to graduate from college when she died, and with the exception of the two years I spent at IU, I don’t think more than 2 or 3 days at a time, went by without me seeing her, so I have a lot of memories of her and feel like I knew her quite well.

I opened up the tote, not knowing what was inside, and when I got a glimpse of her purse and the smell of green Wrigley’s gum escaped from the box, I couldn’t help but smile. I had every intention of taking everything in that box out and hoarding it at my house, but I couldn’t get past the purse. I opened it and quickly found her pick (remember those?), a few sticks of gum, her Nifty Lift card, some pictures, her coupon book (including the little folding scissors that she used to cut coupons), and a newspaper clipping. The article explained that the poem was found in the pocket of a civil war soldier after he was killed. The poem had been passed down to each of his family members. This is what the poem said…

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve;

I was made weak, that I might learn to obey.

I asked for health, that I might do great things;

I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.

I asked for riches, that I might be happy;

I was given poverty, that I might be wise.

I asked for power, that I might have the praises of men;

I was given weakness, that I might feel the need for God.

I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life;

I received nothing I asked for, but everything I had hoped for.

Despite myself, my prayers were answered;

I am among all men, richly blessed.

Sweet Grammie…still teaching, and she’s been gone over 10 years.

As I rummaged through her purse, what was underneath it in the box popped out at me…her aprons! Now, there are very few times that I remember seeing her without an apron because she was usually baking something. When I picked one up, it felt heavy. I reached into the pocket and found a letter from my Uncle Trent to her and my Great Grandpa (didn’t have a date, but probably written in the late 70’s), a wadded up tissue, and a whistle! The tissue makes sense, but what was so special about the letter? Of course, I kept it, because my Uncle Trent mentioned in the letter that he had just visited me (I was probably still a toddler), and that I made him laugh. Strangely, now, he’s always the one making me laugh! And why did she have a whistle in her apron pocket? I guess those are two questions that I’ll never have the answer to.

I went to bed last night (the 2^nd time), thinking about that sweet (and a little ornery) old lady. I wish that my kids would have been able to meet her. I can imagine that she would have tormented my boys a bit, insisting that they sing ‘take me out to the ballgame’ and eat cracker jacks with her every time a baseball game was on and I’m sure she would have spent every minute of her time with Adri, teaching her to measure ingredients for whatever dish she was preparing or how to crack an egg without leaving any ‘goody’ in the shell.

I was just telling Gabe a little about her and this morning when he asked about the aprons (which I brought home) and he said, “You had a Grammie just like we have a Mammaw?” Then I realized, they’re making their own memories with their grandparents…and they’ve got some pretty good ones!