Sweet Memories

I don't remember much from being a baby. But around 4-5 years old I have a few memories I can remember. I grew up and lived in NC, my great grandparents lived in VA and we made it a point to go see them at LEAST once a month for a weekend. When I was younger I remember every Saturday morning waking up running into grams and grandpappy's room and hiding under the covers with them. Grams would say: Sherwood (grandpappy) I think a sugar lump has crawled right up in our bed. I'd cover my mouth trying not to giggle until they both rolled over and hugged me. We'd get up make the bed and off to the kitchen to prepare breakfeast. Grams and Grandpappy would have their coffee I would have my orange juice, and I'd watch as grams would prepare breakfeast adding secret ingredients I was yet too young to know about. After breakfeast me and grams would go to the nursing home to see her mom. We'd watch homeward bound and I'd have 2nd breakfeast with my great great grams.

Time goes by with the same routine, never failing. When I was 10-14 the routine begins to change a little. Saturday morning I'd crawl outta bed to find grams and grandpappy already awake and finished with their first cup of coffee...but grams never started breakfeast without me. I never even realized that till now, and how special that time meant to not only me but to my grams as well. Grams would offer me coffee and I'd always make my joke coffee is for old people but I'll take hot chocolate. After our drinks were made we'd begin making pancakes soon finding out the secret ingredient, a little love and sugar to remind everyone they were from grams and sugar lump. After breakfeast, with great great grams already passed away and home bound, I'd rush off to an eventful day with my aunt and uncle. Time now I wish I would have spent a little more with my grams. Before I departed, me and grams would walk down to horse stables down the road about a mile. We'd feed the horses and name them something different every week because grams could never remember. One day we walked a little further to a pond and were attacked by geese, wasn't funny then but now I can't help but chuckle.

15-18 years old I was so angry, bitter and hurt by secret life going on at home. I always thought grams secretly knew. She always made it a point to hug me more than usual, always to make sure I knew I was loved and that I was her 'special girl'. My last visit to my grams was about 2 years ago, I drove from TN to VA to go see her and grandpappy. The family was angry because it was more of a surprise, I got a lot of grief from that visit. But even still a surprise as I rung the door bell and they came to the door it never failed they welcomed me with open arms and kisses.

From the time I was little to my last visit I had with my family to my grams...I loved bed time. I'd give my hugs and kisses good night and off to bed with anticipation and excitement. I knew grams would soon appear with the Fairy Tale book. So many stories and for some reason I always wanted to hear Rumpelstiltskin. When I was in 9th grade I was given a monkey as a birthday gift from a friend I call monk monk. I'd sneak him off with me wherever I went no matter how old I was...he was my friend. I was 17 and my parents refused to let me take him on our trip to VA, I was devestated I cried the whole way there. That night grams comes in and I told her what happened. She goes into the closet and pulls out a teddy bear and says I am sorry sweetie this is the best I can do, and reads me Rumpelstiltskin and says it's our little secret.

Sweet Memories Part 2 coming soon...