Through a grandchild's eyes.
Through a grandchild's eyes.
I'm 55 years old and until late yesterday evening (Friday July 15, 2016) my Mammaw Swink was still alive. She was 102. Not your typical 102. She had been able to live in her own home until this March (2016). Amazing right. Her mind was sharper than mine, her eyes still danced with laughter and love. Well what can I say, my Mammaw Swink was perfect. I say this as only a very spoiled grandchild can. My whole life I have lived in Alabama and she has lived in North Carolina. All of my growing up years we went faithfully two times a year and spent about a week each time. We couldn't wait to arrive. There Mammaw would be with a big beautiful smile, hugs and lots of kisses and more kisses. Mammaw's house was always a happy place, a warm place, a place of love. Her house always smelled of baked goods any time of year. At Christmas it smelled of cloves and peppermint. A 10oz Cheerwine or Coke was always waiting. In the summer homemade ice cream. (never really understood the banana ice cream, but it was all always good). Mammaw would correct us when we misbehaved and pop to the butt was always a choice you could have. Mammaw is the first person I remember to introduce me me to butter pecan ice cream. She would walk by us and pretend to be licking a cone and give a wink. That was code for its ice cream time, and that happened even after I was an adult and I was the one who brought the ice cream. Her eyes were full of fun, laughter and mischief. But she was straight with you. You didn't ask her option unless you want her dead straight truth. She was a wonderful wife to my Pappaw who died in May of 2000. She was a wonderful loving mother to 7 Children 4 girls and 3 boys. My mama was perfectly in the center. She had 19 rambunctious grandchildren. (Wouldn't some of us or all of us love to be called that now). She showered us Smith babies with so much love when we went that we continued to try to go and take our Children at least once a year all of her life. My children have taken her loss very hard. I haven't. I don't mean that cold or heartless. Mammaw will be so missed, I can see her rocking in her chair and hear it squeaking as I write this. Her one flaw was her stubborn refusal to get a hear aide...lol...there were just some things she didn't need to hear. I can't sit at my sewing machine without thinking of her working at hers. Pancakes on the griddle. Oh, and she gave me that griddle and I finished wearing it out. How blessed I have been to have gotten to be Janie Alice Sharpe Swink's grandchild for 55 years. I will always be her grandchild but to have known her that long is such a privilege that so few people get. I said I haven't taken her loss hard,I'm sad. But I'm old enough to understand the miracle I have witnessed that was her life. And I know she was saved and ready to meet God with the blood of Jesus applied to her life. So, my heart is glad for her that she has finally gotten to leave this imperfect body and receive her perfect one. I will miss my kisses, but much to my amazement I have become a kisser too...lol..all of you that are part Sharpe's will understand that. But I know a secret that I just had to share, she was already perfect she was MY MAMMAW.
I'm 55 years old and until late yesterday evening (Friday July 15, 2016) my Mammaw Swink was still alive. She was 102. Not your typical 102. She had been able to live in her own home until this March (2016). Amazing right. Her mind was sharper than mine, her eyes still danced with laughter and love. Well what can I say, my Mammaw Swink was perfect. I say this as only a very spoiled grandchild can. My whole life I have lived in Alabama and she has lived in North Carolina. All of my growing up years we went faithfully two times a year and spent about a week each time. We couldn't wait to arrive. There Mammaw would be with a big beautiful smile, hugs and lots of kisses and more kisses. Mammaw's house was always a happy place, a warm place, a place of love. Her house always smelled of baked goods any time of year. At Christmas it smelled of cloves and peppermint. A 10oz Cheerwine or Coke was always waiting. In the summer homemade ice cream. (never really understood the banana ice cream, but it was all always good). Mammaw would correct us when we misbehaved and pop to the butt was always a choice you could have. Mammaw is the first person I remember to introduce me me to butter pecan ice cream. She would walk by us and pretend to be licking a cone and give a wink. That was code for its ice cream time, and that happened even after I was an adult and I was the one who brought the ice cream. Her eyes were full of fun, laughter and mischief. But she was straight with you. You didn't ask her option unless you want her dead straight truth. She was a wonderful wife to my Pappaw who died in May of 2000. She was a wonderful loving mother to 7 Children 4 girls and 3 boys. My mama was perfectly in the center. She had 19 rambunctious grandchildren. (Wouldn't some of us or all of us love to be called that now). She showered us Smith babies with so much love when we went that we continued to try to go and take our Children at least once a year all of her life. My children have taken her loss very hard. I haven't. I don't mean that cold or heartless. Mammaw will be so missed, I can see her rocking in her chair and hear it squeaking as I write this. Her one flaw was her stubborn refusal to get a hear aide...lol...there were just some things she didn't need to hear. I can't sit at my sewing machine without thinking of her working at hers. Pancakes on the griddle. Oh, and she gave me that griddle and I finished wearing it out. How blessed I have been to have gotten to be Janie Alice Sharpe Swink's grandchild for 55 years. I will always be her grandchild but to have known her that long is such a privilege that so few people get. I said I haven't taken her loss hard,I'm sad. But I'm old enough to understand the miracle I have witnessed that was her life. And I know she was saved and ready to meet God with the blood of Jesus applied to her life. So, my heart is glad for her that she has finally gotten to leave this imperfect body and receive her perfect one. I will miss my kisses, but much to my amazement I have become a kisser too...lol..all of you that are part Sharpe's will understand that. But I know a secret that I just had to share, she was already perfect she was MY MAMMAW.
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