At My Grandma's House

When I was little and I would get mad at my mom I would want to run away to my Grandma's house. I didn't know how I was going to get there safely since my grandparents lived on the other side of the city. I just knew there was love and cookies!

At Grandma's the cookie jar sat on the kitchen counter, in the corner, very accessible and always full. If you didn't stop by the cookie jar when you came over then you just weren't human.

These days my time at Grandma's house is scarce. She has Alzheimer's and it's getting to the point where she doesn't really remember anyone. For a while it was hard to go there but I decided to put my big girl panties on for the sake of my girls. The truth is, Grandma may not remember, the little girls may not remember, but we will all know in our hearts that it happened.

                                            Grandma helping Haddie put her shoes on.
So last week we took a ride "over the river and through the woods".

On the outside it looks the same but no one can explain just how different it has become over the last 4 years. There is no cookie jar. The yard my cousins and I used to play in, running around the house freely, is now fenced in. A lot of what of what made it "Grandma's House" is gone.

Haddie in Grandma's backyard- Sept 2011.
Her first time touching grass! (6 months old)

Juliet in Grandma's backyard- May 2013
She loves to eat grass! (7 months old)

Haddie and Maddison 

But the things that are still there bring great comfort to me. Like the back porch. For most of my life it was my happy place. It's where my Great Grandma Grier taught me to tie my shoes, my Grandma taught me my times tables and my daughter Maddison beat me at checkers for the first time.

                                                                     Happy Place

                                            Haddie with my mom's dog Rose on the  porch.

                                      Griers on the porch: Jasper (my grandpa), Uncle Tommy
                                        Uncle Eurith (the baby) and Aunt Jewel (Angel)

Then there are those stairs that curve at the bottom. How many times did I slide down those things on my butt? A LOT! I would love to see my little ones enjoy that.

There's always the garage where my closest cousin and I would play with Grandma's pretty tin full of buttons for hours. And the slick garage floor we would roller skate on.

                                       My cousin and me at Grandma's for Christmas ... 1974?
And finally, the barn. My Grandpa and his brother built it when I was just a baby.

                                                       The most awesome barn ever!
                                                    Looks like it's under construction.

Lots of great memories were made there. Maybe one day, I too won't be able to remember but for now I will continue to make memories with my babies in tow.