My mother gave me homework

I get a text from my mom yesterday, this isn't odd but the text it self was.  It was a mass text to all the grand kids telling us to think of memories of our grandparent, aunts and uncles from her side of the family. This has gotten me to thinking.

I have said it before, and I will say it again, I am just down right lucky to have the family I have.  Growing up I just assumed all families were as close as mine.  It was normal for me, so I just figured it was for everyone else.  As I grew up though, I learned however that we were actually the exception to the rule. 


I started my little stroll down memory lane with Papaw, I have mentioned him and the uncles here.  He was a little man in stature but big in heart when it came to his family, not to mention that man could grown ANYTHING!!  He had a green thumb that sadly was not passed down to future generations.  Then there is Mamaw.  One memory that sticks out the most, is her picking me up at school sick one day when I was in elementary school.  I remember going to the grocery story and her getting a can of chili beans and taking me home and fixing chili beans for me and letting me eat in bed. To this day chili is a comfort food for me.  Then there are the uncles.  These two men, left  our family entirely too soon and have left huge boots to fill.  My memories of them are more when I was older.  I remember one of Uncle Edwards visits from Oklahoma, he stayed with me and my family.  He slept in the race car bed in the kids room.  We would get up in the mornings and sit and have coffee and just enjoy the morning.  We might chit chat a bit, but mostly just enjoyed being there together.  Uncle Gerald went into the army when I was little, maybe 7ish.  He sent me a spud mckenzie dog all the way from Texas just because he knew I would like it.  You see, I was slightly spoiled as a kid, being the first grand kid and all.  My aunt Patricia is proof positive of this.  We were in a story when I was little and I found a pair of boots that I wanted.  Tricia didn't have the cash for it, so I so sweetly told her to write a check, and you know what happened next...yep she wrote a check and bought me boots (told you I was spoiled).  Then there is Audrey.  She is the only one I can count on to play with my hair, and braid it and it look decent.  Even to this day I love to sit down and let her brush and braid it..

This is not even the tip of the iceberg of memories, but I have been thinking of tons of them lately.  I just blows my mind for this not to be the norm ya know.