Mother's Day:: Grandma E

In honor of Mother’s Day, I’m spending this week writing posts dedicated to the mothers in my life. I’ll have a different post Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Sometimes I struggle to wrap my mind around the mother-daughter relationship and all it means. Especially now, being a mother myself, I spend every single day in awe of the awesome relationships we as women share with each other and our children! Kudos to all the mothers out there for all you do!

Today, I’m writing about my grandmother E. For most of my life, she’s lived out of state. So, unfortunately the memories we share are limited. But, that doesn’t make them any less special!

Summer vacations when I was young were pretty consistent. The fam would load up in the minivan and head south. About 10 or 12 hours later we’d arrive at grandmas, hungry, tired, hot and usually grumpy. Grandma always greeted us with a smile, hug, kiss and a hot pot of spaghetti.

That was our favorite meal made by grandma. We loved it! We loved it so much us kids asked my mom why she couldn’t make spaghetti just like grandma did. Something about that North Carolina spaghetti just tasted better.

Generally, we spent the better part of a week there. We’d swim in the pool at her apartment complex; we’d visit with family, and have a dinner at the local fish camp with all of our extended relatives. The great-uncles always gave us kids a little cash for the candy store. Good memories!

We had cook-outs, made grits and spent time with cousins. Grandma would tell us stories from when we were very little and she still lived in the same town as us. I remember wishing often that she still did.

I remember the endless games of yatzee {let’s play the whole sheet this time grandma!} and the huge breakfasts.

My brother, sister and I all took turns sleeping in grandma’s bed. Those were late nights as we would lay there talking, milking each minute we had to spend together. The week would end and we would wave good-bye out the back window of that blue Ford Aerostar until we couldn’t see her anymore. I vividly remember slouching down in my seat so the rest of the family wouldn’t see the tears welling up in my eyes and overflowing.

Just out of high school, I couldn’t wait to take my boyfriend {now husband} south to meet my grandma. That was probably the most adventurous trip to NC ever. It was so different than the previous family trips. After some detours and car break downs we were still able to make it down and back in one piece.

Time passed and grandma left her apartment for the nursing home. I remember the last time we visited grandma at the apartment. I was in college. It was the last family vacation for the five original members of my family. Bittersweet.

We’ve been down to visit since. But, as grandma ages, it isn’t the same. We spend time talking and reminiscing in the larger family room because we don’t all fit in her personal room. We stay a few hours, only to return another day, or later that evening. No more long evenings playing games or laying in bed talking.

We’ll be heading down again this summer for another visit and I can’t wait. She’s my last living grandparent and my children’s last living great-grandparent. Hopefully my young children can start forming some of their own memories of grandma E.

Happy Mother's Day, I love you MaMa!