City Grandma, Country Grandma

Yesterday marked one year since Grandma McCleese passed away.  I thought about her quite a lot throughout the day, and was reminded of a writing assignment we did in elementary school.  I chose to give a description of my two grandmas.  Wish I could find it now!  They were both influential in my young life.

My City Grandma, Eva Mae, is still very strong and healthy.

City Grandma:  Mamaw Bowling holding my baby boy for the first time.

• My city grandma loves to buy new clothes.  The sales clerks at her favorite stores know her by name.  

• She is a cleaning machine, and asks us to take our shoes off when we enter the house.

• Grandma is the best cook I know.  She makes old and new dishes with ease that are never too dry or bland.  I loved to make oatmeal cookies with her when I was little.

• She loves to travel, and took her first trip by air this year.

• When we were young she often took us to the mall.  We would visit our favorite shops, grab lunch at Chic-fil-A and later buy a bag of chocolate covered raisins.  I loved visiting her house and being spoiled rotten!

My Country Grandma, Francis Rebecca, is now at rest in heaven.

Country Grandma:  Grandma McCleese, holding Baby Blake for the first time.

• My country grandma always wore skirts.  She had beautiful, long hair that I liked to brush when she took it down from it's platted and pinned up do.

• She loved to garden, and put up enough canned goods to feed an army.

• Grandpa had to keep his eye on her or she would give away every penny she had to someone in need, and she often took in struggling people to stay in their home.  

• She always seemed to have a vat of purple Kool Aid ready for her fifteen grandchildren.

• She gave sloppy kisses and had a beautiful smile.

Of course these two special women have a lot in common too.

• They are both stubborn as the day is long.  

• Both have a true warmth and heart of hospitality.  Neither ever seemed to know a stranger. 

• Most importantly they love and serve God.  I have seen both of them bow to pray earnestly many a time.  Each had experienced her share of trials in this life, and had met them with a gritty determination to rely on her Savior and become stronger.

I am so blessed to be the granddaughter of two such amazing women!