Missing Meme

Hi everyone!

On Saturday I wrote about going to my beautiful friend’s wedding.  We had been talking for weeks about her bouquet and I could not wait to see the final product.  There is a trend now among brides to make their bouquet out of brooches.  Sometimes they buy new ones and sometimes they use ones that were within their family.  As she walked down the aisle, I could not help but notice that Ashley’s bouquet was just exquisite!!!  The reception could not arrive soon enough so that I could see this masterpiece!!

One of the first things she said, as I began to snap away with my camera, was “here is a picture of Meme.”   The joy that this one particular brooch gave her was so clearly evident in her beaming face.  It was then that it brought back memories of my own Meme.  To me I am truly touched at just how deep an impact our grandparents can have on our lives. 

As I have spent the day preparing for the first day of class tomorrow, I knew that my Meme was to be my subject for today’s blog.  Being a retired English teacher, the thought of a world that writes and posts things on a blog would have probably been too much for her to comprehend.  Having grown up during the Great Depression, she would have probably considered writing for such a venue a waste of precious time.

I have no doubt though that the fact that the lessons she taught both my brother and I would make her very proud.  This was never something that the two of us longed for.  My Meme let the WORLD know how much we meant to her and how  proud she was of us.  As mischievous as we were and though she would threaten to NEVER take us to Piccadilly again, her frustration with our childish pranks would wane after she had sent us home.

So much of what I learned about life was a direct result of what this AMAZING woman instilled in to me.  “Education is something no one can take away from you,” she would always say.  This just happened to be one lesson that I carried to an extreme. :D  I also think that her passion to always read and continue to learn by playing puzzles and bridge as well as spending time with family and friends kept her young.  

She also taught me about comfort.  Meme was known for wearing comfortable shoes and not worrying if she was not the latest trend setter.  Another lesson that I have embraced.  I also think that her loving and supportive nature were the foundation for how I raise my own kids.  While there are times when I might tell my kids they are plucking my last nerve, Meme’s nature was more “grin and bear it”.  Though when Sarah was a baby and she came to visit me in German, she did tell me I had the patience of Job. :D

 

One of the things that I cherish the most these days was her knack of chronicling as much as possible.  For example, when she gave me this little desk she said “the young man who carried that out for me at Rosenthal, was killed in Vietnam.”  Years had passed since that young man’s death, but she would never forget him. 

The same has held true as we have gone through our mother’s things.  Mom had things from our grandmother that we had not yet seen such as war bonds from WWII and mom’s ID card from Louisiana Tech.  Each new treasure found is like a little history lesson…something that retired school teacher would have dearly loved.

Yes, I sure do miss you Meme!!