My grandson, Layne, was born on Thursday, October 6 to my oldest daughter, Morgan. As soon as I knew the date of his impending arrival, I booked a flight to Louisiana so that I could enjoy his first week of life with his parents. What an amazing blessing! As I type this blog, he lies beside me, squirming around in his sleep when I don't have a hand on him. Clearly, he is also in love with his nana! This relationship is meant to be - I just know it!
Nana. Grandma. Grandmother. Granny. Mamaw. Whichever endearing term one chooses, there are normally connotations of a gray-haired-cookie-baking-smother-them-with-kisses-sweet old lady. Not this nana. The gray hair is carefully hidden beneath Wella Colorcharm in light brown. I am an awesome cookie baker, and I will smother this little guy with kisses. However, 'sweet' has never really been a term associated with me (I can admit this), and I am not old. Not even close. This nana got up this morning and went out for a four-mile run. This nana will continue to train for half marathons and attend Zumba classes. This nana will keep up with her grandson.
As I have entered this new chapter in my life, I have thought back to time spent with my own grandmothers. I loved spending time with both of them, but had more time with my Grandma Allen, my mother's mother. I spent many nights at her house. She would pop popcorn on the stove (which developed quite an addiction for me), and slightly burn a few kernals. She made me grilled cheese (which was also slightly burnt), fried chicken, and every Allen grandchild's favorite, eclairs. I have fond memories of playing with the thread spools she had saved and building structures with her greeting cards. My favorite Grandma Allen memory is the time she took my cousin Marcia and me to a farm in Kentucky to spend a week. I was about nine, and Marcia was about ten. We built a treehouse, and explored the old attic, amazed by all of the salt and pepper shakers Grandma's niece had collected. We romped all over that farm; for two city girls, that was quite a vacation.
Though I did not get to spend quite as much time with my Grandma Greenland, I still have fond memories of her. She was the most awesome cook! I remember spending the night with her, and as she baked pies for Sunday dinner, she would let me make my own little pies in pot pie tins. And then there was the butterscotch pie. Oh my. It was the most amazing pie I have ever eaten. And when Grandma died, so died the recipe. I have had other perfectly good butterscotch pies, but nothing like Grandma's. I also remember Grandma Greenland putting on her old skirted blue swimsuit and flowered swim cap, and doing the side-stroke at the city pool. Now that's a grandma memory! Most importantly, I remember being in awe of my Grandma Greenland's pure strength of character. All three of her sons predeceased her, yet she continued to live her life to the fullest. What an amazing witness to God's power to help us through life's trials.
I want to create beautiful memories with Layne. What will he remember about me when he is a man? I don't think it will be my cooking - although I can bake some pretty awesome eclairs just like Grandma Allen. Will he look forward to visiting his Nana when his dad is on leave from the Army? I don't think will remember only the big things like trips to the zoo or Disneyworld; I think it will be the little things like making cookies together and eating popcorn. He will treasure the times we walk in the woods and ride the 4-wheeler. He will love going for a run with me (I can hope, can't I?). He will remember my spending time just being with him. Yup. This little fella is gonna love his nana! This nana is definitely in love with him!
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