Doris Suber Hanes, my Mother's Mother, I was so young yet I remember so much of my time with her so vividly. She was such a wonderful woman overcoming so many obstacles in her life with so much strength. I have blogged about her before briefly, but really there isn't a blog that I could post that would do her justice. She loved me through and through, when I felt so alone (which happened often being the baby in the family) somehow she protected me so well. She showed me love like no other and I think that my nurturing came from her. David Jonathan Hanes, my Mother's Father, was a quiet man but such a good one, even though he was the man of the house he cared for everything like he was both mother and father. Since Grandma was confined, he had so many extra duties that he juggled so well. He looked over the day to day; cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc. all the while keeping up with the bills, looking after the house, caring for Grandma, me (and whoever else was around). He had sense of humor that really only his family would understand, but I will never forget about dookie the cat, the boogers in the basement, and the wide load ;-) of course there was much more bc he was a man of depth. From him I learned that I want a man to be able to step up to the plate if need be and take care of business in stride. Over 50 years of more than just faithful marriage, my grandparents showed me so much more about life than I could have ever hoped to know about.
Alfred Theodore Porter Sr was my Father's Father, he knew what it took to make a family run properly. Papa was so strong, so wise I have never known a man with so many accomplishments in just the one lifetime that he spent here on earth. He built things, designed things, has artwork in the Smithsonian, fought in wars and was admired by so many. He was so strong in his faith and led our family well. From him I learned how to be disciplined, I know structure, I see worth in all of my belongings weather they be material or ethereal. Alma Miller Porter was my Father's Mother, I was able to spend the most time with her and I am thankful, because just over the last few years I was really able to build a relationship with Grandma Porter that I had never experienced before. Grandma was a picture perfect homemaker, she cooked better than anyone I know, and kept her house in tip top shape, always. She was strong, one of the strongest women I have ever known. I am thankful that she was the last one, because I think that she was the one that was so often overlooked, as the caretaker usually is ( God always knows what He is doing and it is always beautiful, His amazing plan.) From her I learned my strength, I learned that I am capable of so much more than people give me credit for. I think that my OCD may have come from her as well and though many may think that is not a good thing, I tend to disagree. Yeah it is difficult at times to deal with some of the things that I have to, but it's not as bad as it seems once you get used to it. Plus you can just about guarantee that I will always be on top of my surroundings. Over 50 years of more than just faithful marriage, my grandparents showed me so much more about life than I could have ever hoped for.
As the baby on both sides of the family I din't get to spend as much time with my grandparents as everyone else did, but I did get quality time with them. I am sad to say that I went through a period in my life that I didn't spend that much time with my grandparents, and sadly 2 of them slipped through the cracks before I could make up for lost time. That time I can never get back, but what I can do is be here to stand firm and make sure that Addie and Cara don't loose sight of how important it is to have a relationship with their grandparents.
I am thankful for the 4 grandparents that I married into, because through them I have gotten to experience adulthood grandparents, which is super cool. The relationship is so much different as an adult, but I wouldn't give up my childhood years with my grandparents for anything. Now only 3 remaining, but my new found knowledge of their importance brings us a lot closer than we were before.
Reece George Hughes, Chris' Father's Father, and just so happens to be the one grandparent out of all of Chris' that I had the best connection with. I don't know what it was, but Grandpa Hughes and I always connected on another level than everyone else, or at least it seemed that way to me. Although a quiet man he was very special, knowing his place as a husband and father and sacrificing to be the best at if. His grandchildren being the light of his life. With a sense of humor all his own, often making people think he was crazy when all along he was more with it than the rest of us. I see a lot of my him in my husband, this I treasure.
What pains me the most is that they never met our parent's grandchildren. What I would give for my grandparents to have been able to see me become a mother. Addie still speaks fondly of Great-Grandma Porter and even though it hurts, it heals simultaneously. She is still so blessed to have 3 remaining greats, I don't know if Chris realizes the goldmine that he is sitting on by being 30 something and still being able to call and talk to his grandparents even if it is just briefly.
I can't write a blog about grandparents and leave out the current stars of the show, Addie and Cara have the worlds 4 best grandparents bread by none other that the ones featured above... Even though their Grams and Pa Hughes are further away, these to little girls think so fondly of them. You know you don't have to be right around the corner to hold a top spot in someones heart. Their Grandma and Pa Porter are however right around the comer and we are so thankful that we have them close by. Grandma Porter stays with the girls during the week and we wouldn't have it another way!
Grand parents are awesome and let's face it, we wouldn't be here without them!
How did this day come to be you say?
Here's the story. Back in 1970, Marian McQuade, a West Virginia housewife, came up with the idea of a day set aside to encourage families to visit their elderly relatives. With a firm resolve to make it happen, she began lobbying policymakers. McQuade got through to her Senators, Jennings Randolph and Robert Byrd, who introduced a resolution to make Grandparents Day a national holiday. It took a while to reach the White House, but finally, in 1978, the resolution declaring National Grandparents Day as the first Sunday after Labor Day, was signed into law by President Jimmy Carter.
Ok, wait it gets better. There's a Grandparents Day song. A guy from Bad Axe, Michigan named Johnny Prill recorded "A Song for Grandma and Grandpa." It's not exactly "When I'm 64" but it's not terrible. Take a listen: A Song for Grandma and Grandpa.
Catchy, right? Granted, the date and its accompanying ditty haven't drawn the popularity of say, New Year's and "Auld Lang Syne" or Christmas and "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer." Yet.
Bottom line, this Sunday, the law requires the President to call on the people of the United States to observe National Grandparents Day with appropriate pomp and circumstance.
Happy Grandparent's Day!!
1 comment:
very sweet amanda. good job!!!!!
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