Visit with Mamaw and Papaw

It was wonderful to see my family in MS for a few days. It was nice to just "be" (as me and mom say). We had no real plans, except Aleasha's game, and I had them all to myself. While this visit brought back memories from summers with them, it was not really like those summers. When I would come visit, Mamaw did all the work and I did anything fun! Things have changed a little and I couldn't just let her be in the kitchen doing all the work with me sitting around watching. No surprise to my husband, but I did very little actual cooking. I followed directions for getting ingredients and helped clean up. Mamaw may be moving a little slower than she used to but she can still cook an amazing meal. I watched her make her delicious dressing from scratch and was amazed... not one measuring cup was used. She just "eye balls" it. I don't really think she uses a measuring cup for measuring, just to hold something. It's called years of experience. A few treats from the weekend... omelets, homemade biscuits, homemade cornbread, dressing, chicken and dumplings, sour cream chicken, fresh vegetables, chocolate pie (the best ever), egg pie, homemade ice cream, homemade pancakes. I'm not spoiled at all!

A few observations/things learned during my trip...

* Taking medicine is at least a 30 minute activity
* The reason that Papaw has trouble sleeping at night is because he takes several naps in his chair throughout the day
* Shelling purple-hulled peas turns your fingers purple
* No matter how many times Mamaw and Papaw said "these peas are terrible, not worth shelling" we still shelled the entire 5 gallon bucket full and picked out the bad ones
* Eating can be an all day affair... prep work, clean up, distraction, cooking, more clean up, eating, more clean up and start again
* How my grandparents met each other: They met when she was 16 and he was 18. She lived down the road from Clovis, his cousin. Clovis was having a party and had invited both of them. They played spin the bottle (this cracks me up!). One of them spun the bottle and it landed on the other, they can't remember which one spun. The choices were a kiss or taking a walk. They chose taking a walk, at least that's what they told me. Mamaw's face was precious telling me this and Papaw just had that grin on his face.
* They have a calender in the kitchen where they write down all their doctor appointments, between the two of them it's at least 1 a week
* Papaw takes Mamaw to the beauty shop every week and while she's there he fills the car up with gas, gets a small cup of coffee from McDonald's, and then goes back and waits for her, but this week I got to take Mamaw to the beauty shop. Same one she's gone since I can remember. Different lady now, who is much slower than the other one.
* The Mexican resteraunt in town is actually pretty good!
* Mamaw and Papaw both grew up in Christian homes. I asked them both when they were saved. Both of them in church and both when they were 11. Mamaw was baptized in a pond and Papaw was baptized in a creek. What a legacy they leave their families!!
* I love football, even high school football. There's just something about it.
* Only once did I notice the cheerleaders cheering "SCORE" when the other team had the ball.
* I never really pictured Aleasha as a cheerleader, but she did a really good job. She even "called" some of the cheers. I've never heard her yell before then.

* At the football game, people were segregated in the stands.
* Mamaw and Papaw cannot go anywhere in town without seeing someone they know.
* I was disappointed when I was introduced to a lady at the beauty shop who didn't know Mamaw had another granddaughter.
* I am very thankful for my Aunt Lisa and her family for all that they do for Mamaw and Papaw. They take good care of them and are there for them when the rest of us can't be.

I took several pictures over the weekend, but my favorite was this one. Aunt Lisa told us to do something silly and Mamaw immediately stuck out her bottom teeth (like pepper). Aunt Lisa wasn't quick enough with the camera to catch it but we had a good laugh about it.