Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Legacy

Saturday I spent some quality time with my Grandma. She is the cutest little grandma there ever was. She's probably under 5 feet and just squeezable. You know the type. You see them in all the storybooks and on tv. Well, I got one. In real life.

Grandma has been a sewer for as long as I can remember. She's actually been sewing since she was 14. She is going to teach me how to quilt. Something that she has done for a long time and does very well. I posted here awhile back about my Grandma's quilts and how you could buy them. I really want to learn and who better to teach me than the master! Of course this is the same woman that when she gives you a recipe says, "You just add a little bit of this and a little bit of that." Why isn't Grandma's don't measure things out?
Every summer my parents would send us kids to stay 2 weeks with our grandparents. Two weeks with my mom's parent's and two weeks with my Daddy Dewey's parents. (My biological father. Another story for another day.) I loved visiting all of my grandparents but I really loved being with my Grandma Phillips. She would make us Chocolate Gravy and biscuits (YES. CHOCOLATE. TO. DIE. FOR.). She would let us sleep until noon. We would wake up long after Grandpa had been up to feed his beagles and tend to his garden. She gave me scraps to sew pillows with. Little Larry, our cousin, would come over and we would play all day long. And usually at the end of the day we would head over to Aunt Brenda's to swim. I loved those two weeks. And I'm so thankful to my parents for making it happen.

I remember going and visiting my grandparents one time when they lived in Arkansas. I was really young. 8, 9, 10. Something like that. My cousin John was living with them at the time. I thought he was SO cute. He got up every morning and jumped rope in the front yard to keep in shape. I would wake up to the sound of the jump rope hitting the concrete. Then Grandma would take me over to her sister's diner and I would get a sausage biscuit. They even let me work a little. I felt very grown up. It's funny what the mind holds on to.

So Grandma is helping me sew and teaching me to quilt. My mom and my dad bought HER mother a pair of Gingher sewing scissors a very long time ago. When Mamaw passed on my Grandma inherited them. She told me that one day they will be mine. My heart soared. Over scissors. And even thinking about it now makes me tear up. I'm going to cling to this time spent with my Grandma. I want to hear her stories. I want to hear her dreams and how she feels about how her life turned out. I want to hear not just my grandma. I want to hear HER.

5 comments:

Michelle, Queen of Everything said...

Oh, this made me cry.

I loved my summer visits with my grandma. I still have not been able to blog about her, it's too emotional. But I'm going to do it. It's been a year this month since she passed. And I'm sooooo sad still. So, so sad.

You have a lovely grandma. And so lucky to have her teaching you this stuff. It's funny that your sewing will come from your granny...my baking came from mine! Grandmas are the best.

Donna said...

Aw, this made me cry. You are so blessed to have such special memories with her. AND the opportunity to continue creating new ones. My grama raised me, she passed away when I was 18. I always love hearing about others that appreciate their grandparents.

Tarrah Misu said...

Just two days ago Jay and I were talking about our Grandparents and how many wonderful memories we had with them. Things that we will never forget. There are so many days I wish I could go back and relive! My Nana passed away almost seven years ago, and my Grandfather almost four. My heart still longs for them. Enjoy your Grandma, and treasure those precious scissors!!

Girly Muse said...

ok, now i'm all teary. what a sweet story.

i love anything that comes from my Mema. my mom still has her special sewing scissors.

soak in that time with her. sounds like precious memories.

Maribeth Snow said...

That brought tears to my eyes! I can remember you being in Arkansas at that age. You have a way with words, Bree!

Love ya!

Maribeth