When I was a little girl, we often went over to Mamaw and Pappaw's house. They lived only about 30-45 minutes away and we were there for every holiday, along with my 16 other cousins! Mamaw and Pappaw's house was very special to me. Mamaw always had M&Ms in a little crystal bowl. And when we would spend the night, we always ate cereal out of those miniature cereal boxes.
I have one very distinct memory from a very early age that took place at Mamaw and Pappaw's. Mamaw took me to the guest room and opened up the closet. She kept lots of toys for all of us in there. But she handed me a little stuffed dog. She said "This is Elmer". I carried him around the whole night. I returned him at the end of the night, but I loved that little dog. After that, every single time I went to Mamaw's I would run to the closet and get Elmer. If I spent the night, I slept with Elmer. He was my buddy, until I turned 12 and I was too cool for him, of course.
Pappaw passed away in 2004, and several months ago Mamaw moved in with my parents while her house sells, etc. When we go home to visit, she is there and it's so nice to see her. When we were in Houston for Joanna's wedding, one morning I woke up and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. Lo and behold, Elmer was sitting on the bathroom counter. I became a six year old girl all over again! Grant walked in to brush his teeth. "What's that?" he said. I gave him a very serious face and said "That's Elmer. He lived at Mamaw's, but now he lives here". I think Grant just walked out of the room! :)
Thank you, Mamaw, for giving us each a stocking full of goodies and a present every Christmas. Thank you for hiding the stockings that one year and paying one of your friends to show up Christmas Eve dressed as Santa Clause and give us our stockings. Thank you for being at every school concert and piano recital I ever had. Thank you for telling me that when my mom was a little girl she saw a red light fly across the sky on Christmas Eve and for telling me that that was Rudolph's nose. I thought my mom was the coolest person ever cause she saw Rudolph's nose.
Thank you Mamaw, for Elmer, and for all the other things you did to help me have a magical childhood!
1 comment:
Jennifer, you just captured my heart when I first saw you when you were born. I appreciate so much that you remember the good things and precious memories that we have accumulated. You are so precious to me and I personally think that Grant was made just for you. I love you so much. Thank you fo remembering you old Mamaw on you blog.
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