Monday, July 18, 2016

Dear Mamma...

July is a month that always reminds me of my sweet grandmother.  She was born in July, and passed away in July.  She was one of the most beautiful and caring people ever.  I attend church in the same church where her and my granddad were members. Sometimes I sit directly across from the choir loft that she sang in, and can almost hear her voice belting out those beloved hymns.  When a lady walks by wearing Estee Lauder Beautiful, I breathe it in, because it reminds me of her.  Although she has been gone for four years, she is still very much alive in the hearts of those that loved her.  


Four years ago today I read this letter to my grandmother (aka Mamma) at her funeral.  Today, in memory of my loving Mamma, I am sharing it with you.  I know most of you never had the pleasure of meeting her, but I hope you'll read this and it'll remind you of your very own grandmother.  If you're blessed to still have your grandmother around, give her a call today.  It'll mean the world to her; I promise.  



Dear Mamma,

I realized today there are a few things I may have forgotten to thank you for:

Thank you for 10 PM snacks when I would spend the night as a little girl.  Thank you for letting me sleep between you and Granddad. Thank you for making “real” popcorn and not that microwavable junk.  Thank you for coming to Grandparent’s Day, my baptism, and watching me dance in high school and college.

 

Thanks for teaching me NOT to touch my face after picking peaches….just wish you would have told me beforehand.  Thanks for making the best chicken fried steak in the whole county.  Thanks for loving my Granddad for over 50 years.


 

Thank you for attempting to teach me to crochet.  It was a complete failure, but alteast you tried.  Thank you for all the Easter Dresses, back to school clothes, and a few other outfits I refused to wear.



Thank you for letting me live when my blue crayon melted in the tan interior of your new car.  Thank you for taking me to Tooley’s, Tillets, Montgomery Wards and Holly Hamburgers every time I came to town…and for the Quick Check Chicken and Cherry Cokes made by Vera Mae.

(Kendall's First Cherry Coke made by Vera Mae at the local drug store)

Thank you for always trimming my bangs…even when I didn’t need it.  Thank you for never finding that old metal comb after I hid it when I was 12.  Thank you for the vocabulary lessons: because of you, I know now that dinner is really lunch, a devan is really a couch, and yonder is a place nobody really knows where is.  Thank you for always having Little Debbie’s in the cookie jar.  Thank you for always having equal pictures of Jason and I on the wall and refrigerator.

 (Hey Jason, I said there were equal pictures of you at Mamma's, NOT on the blog.)

Thanks for taking me to Sam Moon for the first time.  Thanks for sharing your love of the Rangers and Pudge Rodriquez with me.  Thanks for letting Kendall and I move in when I abruptly became a single mom.


 Thanks for not killing Kendall during her terrible two’s…and three’s…and four’s.


Thank you for teaching me about beauty.  Your hair always looked perfect, you always smelled wonderful and always sported your gold and silver shoes.  Kendall always said you looked like a princess in your Eastern Star Dresses.


Thank you for always telling me how proud you are of me.  Thank you for never forgetting Kendall, even when you couldn’t remember my name.


And last, but definitely not least, thank you for never being ashamed to sing your loudest at church.  Your love for God always radiated through you in song.  I love you, Mamma!


Thanks for reading today!  I hope you'll be inspired to spend some time with the people you love!  My mom and I are off on an adventure with the kiddos at the aquarium today.  I hope one day they look back and realize how blessed they are to have MY mom as their grandmother!

I hope you have a fantastic week!

Emily

I'm linking up with Johannah for Hello Monday!



30 comments:

  1. Emily... what a beautiful tribute to a wonderful woman. Enjoy your week.

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  2. I just love this! You have wonderful memories of your Mamma, and this brought back many fond memories of my two grandmothers. They were such a big part of my life, and I hope I can be a wonderful grandma someday. I can tell that yours made you feel so special!

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    1. Thanks, Tanya! I am so blessed to have had her for 32 years of my life!

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  3. I was not prepared to cry this early on a Monday morning. This is a beautiful post. Your grandmother sounds like she was an amazing person.

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    1. Thank you! Sorry for the early morning tears! She was the best!

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  4. This made me cry...in a good way! Remembering my mammaw through your words. Thank you, Emily! Xo

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    1. Thank you! I remember when you posted about yours a few weeks ago, they sounded very similar.

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  5. Aww this is beautiful.. you look like her!! Have a wonderful day today.

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  6. Such a beautiful tribute Emily. This made me laugh, smile and think of the wonderful, patient woman she must have been.

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    1. Thank you, Beth! She was so special to us!

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  7. I'm crying and smiling at my grandma in heaven who you may know we lost in April. Grandmothers are so special and I'm so happy this wonderful woman had an impact in your life and is probably part of the reason why you're so wonderful!

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    1. That is so sweet. Thank you, Andrea! I'm sorry for your loss. I'm sure, like me, you're thankful for the full life your grandmother led.

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  8. I love how you wrote this. My grandma passed away this past September and my brother and my cousin spoke at her funeral. I am not a good speaker but I like how you did this. It sounds like you had a great relationship!

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    1. Thanks, Dara. I'm not much of a public speaker either. In fact, I wrote this a few days before she died, just to get my thoughts out. I shared it with my mom after my grandmother passed away, and she asked me to read it at her funeral. I was so nervous, but knew my grandmother would have loved it.

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  9. Beauiful!! You made me cry and laugh! Your grandmother sounds like she was an amazing woman.

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    1. Thank you, Jessica! She was absolutely amazing! I'm so thankful for the time I had with her.

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  10. Our grandmothers sound so VERY similar. It just breaks my heart when I hear stories of friends who either don't have grandparents in their lives anymore or don't have relationships with theirs. Sounds like you were blessed with a wonderful lady and example in your life.

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    1. I agree! When you wrote your post the other day about the chicken and dumplings and peach cobbler it remember thinking how blessed you are to still have her around. I hope your girls get to spend a long time getting to know her, too!

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  11. Oh, what beautiful memories! I know you made your Grandmother proud!

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    1. Thank you, Laura! There are many days when I wish she were here to see my little kids. She would eat them up!

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  12. I loved this! It sounds like she was a wonderful woman. XOXO

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  13. Such a sweet post! Makes me think about my sweet Meme. And now I know you can think of her if we meet because EL Beautiful is MY scent too! :)

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    1. Aww!! I love that! We have to get something on our calendar soon!

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  14. This is such a sweet post and tribute to your Grandmother (who sounds amazing). I love that you attend church where your Grandparents were members of. And all these sweet memories you have with her, so so precious. And anyone that loves Pudgy is friend in my book! :)

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    1. Thank you, Crystal!! She was so sweet & truly missed!
      Pudge was the best, right? :)

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  15. I love this post! It sounds like she and my mamaw were a lot alike. And I slept in-between my grandparents too! I just wish mine would have gotten to meet Kane. I got pregnant with him the month after she passed away:(

    Tif
    www.brightonabudget.com

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    1. I love you have those memories, too! I wish my grandmother could have gotten to know my youngest two, but I am so thankful for the relationship she had with Kendall.

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