My Mamaw and Papaw

Everyone has that one person in their life, you know the one who holds a super special place in your heart. For me, that is my mamaw. She has had a very long life of 90+ years, but things are getting rough for her right now. My mamaw, well, she was my second mom. I spent so many nights with her when the men of the family would leave to go hunting. If I got in a fight with my mom, I immediately tried to go to Mamaw's. She was always finding little things to give me and my brother, from socks to candy to knick knacks we liked. I spent many hours of my young life playing in her jewelry box or listening to Don Williams on her 8-track player. Every year for my birthday she would call the radio station and request Eddie Rabbit's I Love a Rainy Night be played for me because she knew it was my favorite song.

One of my favorite memories was a tin can of buttons she had that I always loved playing with during my childhood. My mom found them last year and put some in a jar as one of my Christmas gifts. They are in my craft room and Eli will get to play with them when he is older. I know he will probably never get to meet her, but I will share all of my stories with him and let him feel like he knew her and my papaw. I also have a quilt that they were given on their 50th anniversary and I have been cuddling up with it to remember all those past good times I had with her. She gave it to me several years ago and I will treasure it always.

My papaw passed away not long after I got married, so I will always treasure those few wedding photos I have with him. He was never the best at saying I love you out loud, but I always knew I was very special to him. I can still picture him cleaning and sorting the ginseng he had dug up or working up the furs on the animals he had trapped. He would take me along on his school bus route when I was very young, then on his trips to the recycling centers to turn in his soda cans when I was older. I still cry when I see his favorite candy this time of year and I plan on finishing up the state quarter map I had given him as a gift and passing it on to my son.

I am very thankful to have Eli during this time of sadness. I hope my parents will come to mean as much to him as my grandparents meant to me. I love you, Mamaw, and I pray that you feel better soon.