A tribute to my grandparents...

Call me sappy.....I guess I am........been thinking about what matters the most to me lately.

I can't tell you how much I miss them, there aren't any words to describe it.  They were like a second set of parents to me.  We grew up living side-by-side, next door neighbors.  One of us kids were always with Mamaw & Papaw.  I even lived with them for awhile. I remember trailing behind papaw so many times when he would get a call to be the 'Piersontown vet'.  I was fascinated with all the knowledge he had for animals.  They had a farm and we had the run of it.  I remember my brother & I hiding in that very old, very leaning barn that was full of square hay bales and I am positive, full of snakes too!  I remember climbing as high as we could on those hay bales & jumping off.  Chasing the chickens and having the roosters chase us back...I'm sure Bub remembers that better than I do. Digging through cow patties with sticks to find the biggest night crawlers to take fishing (yeah....there is NO WAY I would let my kids do what I did!!!!)  Catching crawdads in the creek with Mamaws freshly washed canning jars she had out on a wooden post behind the wash house.  Digging through their memories that lay scattered all over that old wash house.  Running into the basement cellar on hot summer days to grab some taters for supper. Going 'trading' with them every Sunday, after church, to the Jay-C store.  It was a treat for me, papaw would always let me pick something out.  I was so close to them.  I have so many wonderful memories with my grandparents. They showed love all the time and they told about their love all the time.  I could bear my heart to them and not be afraid of what they thought, because they were always there for me.  I close my eyes and see Papaw sitting in his lawn chair, outside under the big shade tree.  He would wave at every vehicle driving up & down the road, he was up on the hill but they knew he was sitting there, because they would turn towards him and wave back.  Mamaw would be sitting there in the swing, swaying back & forth.  We would sit out there with them, soaking it all up, but not realizing how precious those times would be to us when we got older.  I'd give anything and everything possible to sit under that shade tree with them again, passing my children back & forth to them, letting them hold them.  Letting my children get to know these people who I loved and cared for so much.  I remember with each of my children, the very day I had them, I would look up towards Heaven & talk to Papaw and introduce him to his newest great-grand baby.  I thank God that Tinsley & Hunter got to meet and remember Mamaw.  I'm waiting for that day, when we all get to Heaven - what a day of rejoicing that will be.  I won't have to reminisce & tell stories because we'll be living it then.

My Sweetpea, Frankie Love :)

If you didn't know her, you really missed out.  She was one-of-a-kind. She was always ready to greet you with a smile, ready to tell a story, ready to hug you, kiss you, make you feel welcome. I miss her so much!  She was like a mom to me, she was my best friend, she was a person I could call on day or night and she would be there, without judgement, to lift me up.  I can still picture that sweet little smile, I can hear her whistling a little tune.  I wish, more than anything, that I could wrap my arms around her and give her one more hug, one more kiss, hold her hand one more time.  I'd never let her go.  I miss you sweetpea ~ Frankie Love ~ Frances Lovada Lampkins Shrout, you are my angel.

My Angel