Memories & Grandparents --
When I was younger, my parents would drive my sisters and I to some rest area or restaurant in Illinois to meet my grandparents. They would then pick one of us up and send one of us off to spend a week with Grandma and Grandpa Holley in good ol' Paris, Illinois (a.k.a. Po-dunk, IL). But despite the town being old and small, it was one of our favorite places to go. Especially when we got to go by ourselves and have uninterrupted one-on-one time with our grandparents. My favorite thing to do was to help Grandpa in the garden and to help Grandma clean the house (maybe that's where I got my cleaning OCD from?!?!). Not to mention going to the grocery store or walking around the neighborhood.
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Then there were times when we went as a whole family to Paris. Driving for what seemed to be days through Chicago traffic and down through Indiana and back into Illinois. Fighting over who was going to sit in the middle seats or who was going to sleep on the floor. But then getting there and unloading everything and having a plate of the world's best fried chicken waiting for us and the promise of dessert later on. Laying on the floor in my Grandparent's living room coloring or hiding in the leather chair reading or playing Rummy with my sisters in the big bed in the other room. Hearing my mom and Grandma talk about things while cooking and watching my dad just interact with Grandpa while watching a Nascar race or college basketball game.
Can't forget about the many trips out to Virginia to visit my Grandpa Chuck and Grandma Pat. Spending lovely days in the sun with the mountains just out the front door. Learning to ride a horse and feeding the cows. Riding on the four-wheeler with Grandma so she can count the cattle to make sure all is well. Pretending to know how to play pool with my sisters and feeling oh so cool doing so. Watching Sister Act 2 repeatedly in the course of 4 days and memorizing every line and every song. Arguing over who was going to inherit Grandpa's red Stealth sports car. Wandering the halls of Grandpa's civil war era plantation home and slaves buildings turned workshops and feed barns. Calling 911 on the upstairs phone when I was supposed to be taking a nap and getting in big trouble for it when they called back. Going to the lake and going out in the canoe with my sisters and singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" before being scared by our brother-in-law (yes, this was just a few years ago and we were singing that song.... don't judge us).
And then there were the trips to New York and Milwaukee to see my Grandma. Riding the train to Buffalo to be with her when she had knee surgery. Surprising her with my Aunt and Uncle for her birthday. Gorging ourselves on Ted's hot dogs and Friendly's Ice Cream. Getting soaked and stranded at Niagra Falls. Spending a weekend just me and Grandma in Milwaukee and going Christmas shopping. Taking trips to Springfield and doing all of the Abraham Lincoln tours. Christmas in her little apartment with all of the kids and grandkids. Playing with our Uncle in the hallway of her apartment building, building car tracks and riding our brand new Scooter up and down for hours before collapsing in a pile. Moving her to Iowa with us and having her there as we grew up, played high school sports, learned to drive and graduated. Having her there every time we go home and always offering to house any friends or boys we may bring home.
My grandparents were and are some of my favorite people in the world. My Holley grandparents are in their heavenly home now and I miss them a lot. My grandparents were and are some of our biggest supporters. My Grandpas were/are brave men who served their country in the Navy (Grandpa Holley served in the Pacific during World War 2). My Grandmas were/are brave women who raised their families to be faithful followers of Jesus. They are men and women who have always shown me, my siblings and my parents that we are loved by them and that we matter to them. They are men and women that I can only hope to be like as I grow up and figure out this thing called life. And I just hope that I can make them proud.
I love you Grandma Sylvia, Grandpa Chuck, Grandma Pat. And I miss you Grandma and Grandpa Holley. Thank you for everything you all have done for me and our family. I hope you know how much I love you and how much you mean to me. I hope I can always make you proud. I love you.
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Can't forget about the many trips out to Virginia to visit my Grandpa Chuck and Grandma Pat. Spending lovely days in the sun with the mountains just out the front door. Learning to ride a horse and feeding the cows. Riding on the four-wheeler with Grandma so she can count the cattle to make sure all is well. Pretending to know how to play pool with my sisters and feeling oh so cool doing so. Watching Sister Act 2 repeatedly in the course of 4 days and memorizing every line and every song. Arguing over who was going to inherit Grandpa's red Stealth sports car. Wandering the halls of Grandpa's civil war era plantation home and slaves buildings turned workshops and feed barns. Calling 911 on the upstairs phone when I was supposed to be taking a nap and getting in big trouble for it when they called back. Going to the lake and going out in the canoe with my sisters and singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" before being scared by our brother-in-law (yes, this was just a few years ago and we were singing that song.... don't judge us).
And then there were the trips to New York and Milwaukee to see my Grandma. Riding the train to Buffalo to be with her when she had knee surgery. Surprising her with my Aunt and Uncle for her birthday. Gorging ourselves on Ted's hot dogs and Friendly's Ice Cream. Getting soaked and stranded at Niagra Falls. Spending a weekend just me and Grandma in Milwaukee and going Christmas shopping. Taking trips to Springfield and doing all of the Abraham Lincoln tours. Christmas in her little apartment with all of the kids and grandkids. Playing with our Uncle in the hallway of her apartment building, building car tracks and riding our brand new Scooter up and down for hours before collapsing in a pile. Moving her to Iowa with us and having her there as we grew up, played high school sports, learned to drive and graduated. Having her there every time we go home and always offering to house any friends or boys we may bring home.
My grandparents were and are some of my favorite people in the world. My Holley grandparents are in their heavenly home now and I miss them a lot. My grandparents were and are some of our biggest supporters. My Grandpas were/are brave men who served their country in the Navy (Grandpa Holley served in the Pacific during World War 2). My Grandmas were/are brave women who raised their families to be faithful followers of Jesus. They are men and women who have always shown me, my siblings and my parents that we are loved by them and that we matter to them. They are men and women that I can only hope to be like as I grow up and figure out this thing called life. And I just hope that I can make them proud.
I love you Grandma Sylvia, Grandpa Chuck, Grandma Pat. And I miss you Grandma and Grandpa Holley. Thank you for everything you all have done for me and our family. I hope you know how much I love you and how much you mean to me. I hope I can always make you proud. I love you.
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