TX- Big Memories

The first thing Little One and I did in Texas was visit the top VIPs in the state: Her great-grandparents. She had a fantastic time playing and cuddling with them, and attempting to demolish their lovely home.
Some of my best memories from when I was little are of visiting my mom's parents, and playing with all the toys they had saved from her and her siblings childhoods. These things are famous (some infamous) among my sister and cousins and I, and part of their charm was the knowledge that our parents had played with them once too. So it was extra fun when my grandfather surprised us upon arrival with having brought all the old favorites down from the attic for Little One.

Its a bit surreal to watch my child in a way re-living pieces of my memory, and to know that those memories belong to my mother and grandparents as well. I am so grateful for those times.
We were lucky enough to not only be with them on Christmas, but also celebrate their gajillionth anniversary with them! This has been a very hard year, since my grandmother took a bad hit to her health. Now more than ever, these two are an incredible example of commitment, devotion, strength, and the really really real kind of love. The kind I'm too much of a rookie to even understand fully, but can only hope to aspire to, as I aspire to be so like them both in so many ways.

You know, Peanuts. Being married is hard. Being a parent, and a part of a family, it's hard. Trying to be a good person in the world, trying to forge a Good Life, whatever that is, it's all not for sissies. Being around my grandparents helps me see, though, that it all can be done. Even though I'm all grown now and I feel like my memories are dusty and worn off on the edges like the toys, saved all these years, the truth is that my grandparents continue pressing their thumbs into the bits of my character that are still malleable. Making me a bit better and bit better, a bit smoother and more refined, making imprints all over.

I'll never forget being allowed to play with the Shirley Temple paper dolls my Grandmother had saved since she was little. Or pushing the big firetruck with my Grandad from when he was a boy. But being around them-especially with Little One- reminds me that some of my best memories of my grandparents, and some of the most valuable things I will learn from them, are still happening.