Slammin screen door and front porch swingin

Definition of nostalgia (n)

Bing Dictionary
nos·tal·gi·a
[ no stáljə ]

1. sentimental recollection: a mixed feeling of happiness, sadness, and longing when recalling a person, place, or event from the past, or the past in general
2. things that arouse nostalgia: something, or things, intended to arouse a feeling of nostalgia or to evoke the past in a way that arouses nostalgia
3. homesickness: a longing for home or family when away from either

As the school days would start to near closer to the end; I was only thinking of one thing....Summertime at Grandmaw and Grandpaw's.

Growing up in my house was never easy and to spare you the details, I will tell you that Grandmaw and Grandpaw's house was my safe haven. When I was there, I was not concerned with anything and that was the only place that I felt like I could be a kid and I could free myself from the burdens from home.

 The days started as soon as the sun peeked over the clouds. Me and Kimberly were "up with the birds". An alluring smell of percolated coffee would swirl the house as Bill Bolen, (Fox 6 News Anchor) informed us of the local goings on. Grandpaw would be perched in his usual spot setting plans for the day or talking on the phone. Uncle Shane-O and Uncle Cary would show up soon and we would no doubt be ready for them. Then there would be my Grandmaw in her usual spot...  the kitchen. She would be working away at homemade biscuits and gravy-the best I've ever had. She would be dressed for the day in flip flops and a house dress with her long black hair pulled back. She would have little patience for anyone but me and Kimberly. She would light up the moment we emerged from our room greeting us with good morning hugs and concerns on how our sleep was. She would be ready for us... a cup of coffee on the front porch swing.

It was in those moments, on that front porch swing that Grandmaw would teach us all about life. She would show us that each day begins in prayer and a cup of fresh coffee-this among many things...

There she would swinging away, talking, smoking her cigarette and pondering of solving the worlds problems with "hell fire and brimstone"... :) kidding a little bit. I remember the way the swing squeaked and it would drive her crazy as she would hollar for Paw-Paw to get a can of WD-40. The mornings would be bright and warm and dew would dance on the grass for longer than we wanted it to. The peach tree that hung over the side of the porch served several purposes as it filled the air with sweet smells. It would give us some delicious peaches by the end of the summer. It was also a good shade tree but most importantly, as those limbs peered over the porch, it would remind us that there were consequences to our actions, and if we ever forgot it wouldn't take but a second for Grandmaw to break off a hickory from one of those limbs and remind us. That was one of the fruit trees we had in the yard. There was a cherry tree that taught us you have to be quick, at least quicker than the birds if you want a cherry. The apple tree taught us patience because a few of those apples before they were ripe always resulted in a belly ache. The garden at Maw's house, just a few steps away, taught us to work hard for what you want in life and the end of the summer when canning started we learned  the benefits of hard work through a big ole batch of vegetable soup that would last all winter.

By the time our coffee was finished the biscuits would be ready and we would go in and eat-always at the table. Here is where Uncle Cary and Uncle Shane-O would show up. I don't know how they always knew when the food was on the table. Uncle Cary would always have our backs as we would plead our case to get in the pool right after breakfast. But still, we would have to wait at least 45 minutes until our food settled, of course.

The days would consist of adventures in the woods and in the playhouse that Paw-Paw built. We would play all day. We would run in and out of the  house to grab various items or Popsicles and Grandmaw would always say, "Stop slammin that screen door!!". When evening would come we would have dinner while Wheel of Fortune hummed in the background. Then afterwards it was back to the front porch as we watched the show the lightening bugs put on. On Friday's we would watch TGIF and one time we followed that with TNT Fright Night and watched The Lost Boys. After a night of vampire filled nightmares and images of Vampire Paw-Paw flying in leather pants and a cape, we decided that we had better not do that again.

Bedtime was my favorite. After bath time was done, Grandmaw would tuck us in nice and tight. She would read us stories... the same ones over and over. I already knew the adventures that Hedy and Hank would experience while trying to get those big turnips to the fair but "Down Down the Mountain" was always our first choice. It never mattered how long the book was or how many times she had read it to us, she would read it with so much passion. We would then tell the birds and the bugs goodnight and just like our day started.... it also ended in prayer.

These memories and hundred more flood my mind in a desperate and frantic scramble to remember every detail about her. I force myself to remember all of them all at once and tell myself, these are precious files brain... put them somewhere safe... don't forget.

On Friday, April 25th 2014 my world was turned upside down. My Grandmaw- my safe place, my mentor, my first phone call every morning, was diagnosed with lung cancer. My devastated Kimmie called me at 10:04 that morning as I sat unknowingly blissful at my desk and broke the news to me. Fear and panic stricken pain consumed me and there was nothing I could do to stop the tears from flowing onto my keyboard. I had to get to her.

I was a mess on the drive. The Lord, no doubt steered my vehicle. The day was hot and bright. I felt like I was moving in slow motion but the world around me continued on. Burgers were still being handed out in bags through windows, ladies were still coming in and out of stores with groceries and life was still happening. How? How could this be? It is not possible for me to know a world without my Grandmaw. It's not possible for me to start the day without calling that old familiar number and hearing her on the other end greet me, her Kryssy-Poo. I got the hospital and couldn't go in. If I went in, that meant it was really happening. No, I would sit right here and wait for Kim, she would be here soon. It was on that concrete wall at Trinity hospital that I felt Him. My sweet Heavenly Father was holding me and consoling me. He knew what I was feeling. He watched His one and only son be tortured and fade into a slow and painful death. He knew that when I heard that word, cancer,  that that is what I knew we would be facing. "Not my Grandmaw", I pleaded and begged.  He just comforted me and filled me with His promises and reminded me that He will never leave me. It was then, resting in His peace, that I began to calm down and breathe. When my Kimmie arrived, we sat, we talked, we accepted and the Three of us walked into the hospital.