Mamakat

Goodness, I haven't blogged in a week! 

It's not that things have been particularly exciting; since last week was mostly spent inside away from the rain, Aaron and I had a lot of time to watch movies, build "sire trucks" out of Legos, read books, and (of course) hit up an indoor playground or two. We headed to my parents for the weekend and got to spend some much-needed time with family.  Last Thursday was my grandmother's (affectionately known as Mamakat) birthday, so me, Aaron, my mom, my Aunt Trish, my cousin Jill, and Jill's precious baby girl, Mary Leigh, went to The French Market in Locust Grove for lunch.  The food was delicious, but being with my family (minus my sweet sister and other family members) was the best.  We all don't get to see each other as often as we'd like so when we do it's nonstop conversation and laughter.  Here's a pic of Aaron and his cousin, Mary Leigh.  Are they not the sweetest things in the world??

presh

I'm embarrassed to say that I don't know how old my grandmother is.  Sadly, I don't even have a recent picture of her.  How terrible is that?  I should have taken a picture of her yesterday with her great-grandbabies and totally blanked.  Here's a pic of her from 4-5 years ago (I think...)

As you can see good looks & good drinks run in the family ;)

I love her so much.  I don't tell her enough.  I need to be a better granddaughter.  I need to call more, go see her and Pawpaw more.  She's gotten so old now.  She uses a cane to walk, and will ask you the same questions over and over again.  She's smart as a whip.  She's not as quick as she used to be, but every now and then she'll surprise you with her quick-wit.  She cusses like a sailor.  She can be totally inappropriate.  I remember going to see her once while I was in college.  I was 19 and (of course) thought that I was the coolest chick around.  I remember eating lunch (she used to be the best cook) with her and Pawpaw.  I was telling them some elaborate story, and I happened to have on a low-cut shirt that day.  After finishing my story Mamakat replied "You just walking around with your titties hanging out?"  I fell over laughing, and the funny thing was she did, too.  She was like that.  Another one of my favorite things she ever said: I had a Honda Civic with a sun roof, and when the weather was warm and beautiful, I kept that thing open.  One day I happened to drive over to see her and Pawpaw.  After our visit, they walked me out to my car (like they always have) to say goodbye.  Well Mamakat did not understand "why on earth" I had left my sun roof open while I was not in the car.  Instead of fearing rain, a break-in, etc., she said "Hayley, somebody could have come over to your car and poured a "Cocola" through that window."  I think I laughed so hard I had tears that day.

We almost lost her in 2003.  While undergoing an operation, she had a stroke during surgery.  She survived, but we thought she'd never be the same.  The doctor's had prepared us for the worst; she might not be able to speak correctly if at all, she might not know us, etc.  I remember leaving the hospital in tears the day that happened; we had gone to her room to see her, and all she could do was hold my hand.  It was like she knew who I was, but was struggling to say my name.  I cried all the way home from the hospital.  A couple of days later we went back to the hospital.  At the time it was me, my mom, and my dad.  My dad had not yet seen Mamakat; all he knew was what we'd told him about our last visit and what the doctor's had said.  Basically, we were preparing him for the worst.  Lo and behold, we walked back into the room and clear as day she said "all they're giving me to eat is this damn jello."  She was back.  God gave her back to us.  We were overjoyed.

Since then, she's been our Mamakat, but a more toned-down version of herself.  She's not as fiery, but the fire's still there.  She's not as quick, but her wit's still there.  I don't know what goes on in that big brain of hers, but I hope she knows how much I love her.  To take the one line out of Jodie Foster's infamous Golden Globes speech that made sense to me:

“But this is the only important one to take in: I love you, I love you, I love you. And I hope that if I say this three times, it will magically and perfectly enter into your soul, fill you with grace and the joy of knowing that you did good in this life."

You're a great grandmother, Mamakat. :)

~LL