Blast from the past

Sometimes a smell can bring you back to a certain time and place, almost like a time travel machine. The smell of baby powder can bring back an image of the first time you held your newborn in the hospital. The smell of lilac can take you back to the carefree days of your youth when you and your friends would bike ride down the lilac covered alleyways. Such smells can bring so powerful of memories that you feel yourself fully emerged in days gone by.


A few days ago I bought a bag of nectarines that weren't quite ripe yet, so I left them in the bag to ripen up. Today I opened the bag and the strong scent of nectarine overwhelmed me. I was instantly transported back to the summer when I was 20 years old. Louisa was not quite 1 yet. I was standing on my Granny's back porch and my hand was reaching to open the door. Louisa was placed firmly on my hip. She wore a brightly colored sundress and a floppy hat that matched. As we walked in the door, the smell of ripe nectarine rushed up to meet us. My granny was stooped over the stove preparing dinner. She turned around with a big smile. Louisa wiggled in my arms as soon as she saw her Granny, and of course Granny snatched her up and gave her a big hug. Granny's little peach. I took Louisa back and walked into the living room to find my Grandad snoozing in his chair. I set Louisa down in the middle of the living room with some toys. I walked back into the kitchen and grabbed some dishes to set the table with. There was a pot of green beans cooking on the stove, and chicken baking in the oven. Granny was adding milk to the mashed potatoes. As I set the table, I could hear Louisa rummaging through her diaper bag and my Grandad waking up. I felt safe, warm, and loved. In that instant, all was right with the world. I was about to sit down for dinner with my Granny and Grandad, and share the love of my grandparents with my daughter.
In the background I could hear Hunter giggling. My time travel had ended. I was wooshed back to real life, standing in my messy kitchen. I looked into the living room where Hunter was being licked by the puppy, hence the giggling. I took one more big wiff of the nectarine, feeling that warmth for just a little longer.
Life is good now, but there are definitely days that I would like go back to when my grandparents were here, sitting in their chairs, telling tall tales and playing with the little ones.

Grandma's Thoughts to Ponder

No, I haven't recently become a grandma. I still have about 15 years (hope to God) before that happens.
My mom sent us a package... well, three packages actually, but one was for me and two were for the kids. In my package my mom sent a folder with little clippings from my grandma. My grandma passed away on April 14, 2006. She was 82 years old and had battled Parkinson's disease for about 10 years. My grandma gave me the strong faith in God that I have today. She inspired me to live in His works like she did.
So, in the clippings and snippets of this and that there are things from the newspaper that she found interesting and clipped out, things from cards people have sent her that touched her, things from newsletters she received in the mail, prayer cards she received from church and funerals, and some things written in her hand.
Anything that is written in her hand is something that she heard and liked and wrote down. For now, I'll focus on those. Some made me cry, some made me laugh, but all of them made me feel her presence. These are messages from her that she kept to be passed on someday. Now I get to pass them on.
Even in death my grandma has a strong spirit.
Now I give you Grandma's Thoughts to Ponder, Part One:
"Remember there is someone who thinks of you often, and smiles"

"Remember that a successful marriage depends on two things, Finding the right person, and Being the right person"

"Be Mature enough to realize that you still have much to learn. Be wise enough to know Respect is something that you earn. Be patient with your parents, and youself and others, too. Be the best that you can be, and life will give its best to you."

"Be not afraid on eagle wings, Always remember me as loving you" ~this one is signed at the end with her name, Florence. It brought me to tears as it is her final message to us. She was such a loving grandmother that I cannot ever think of her in another way. Hugs, kisses, kindness, gentleness. And always loving. To see her name signed on this piece of paper is so heartwarming to me. She is with me. And she is with all of her children and grandchildren.

more to come.....