I am blessed.
I am blessed because I've grown up in a household that has always reminded me how important family is. If you have read many of my other articles, you'd know that my cousins and I are more like siblings, my sister is my absolute best friend, and I think the absolute world of my parents; without them, I am nothing.
But, there are three people who don't get enough credit. My grandparents. Memaw, Mimi and Grandad. They have taught me everything about loving unconditionally, tough love, and what it means to be a part a family.
My Memaw, my dad's mom, has almost reached the big eight-zero. She was raised with her seven other brothers and sister, and she has raised four kids (who didn't turn out too bad, if you ask me). Memaw has traveled to nearly every sporting event, from horseback riding to football. She makes some of the best chicken salad and sweet potato casserole you'll ever have. On your birthday, you can check the mail and find a card, filled with one dollar bills that count up to your age. And, just recently, you might find Memaw sitting around all of the cousins with a Vodka Cranberry. She'll tease and play funny pranks on you, but they are all done out of love.
Memaw is a wonderful woman. She's shown four kids exactly how to raise their children and what it means to be a parent. She's shown all of the women in our family what a strong, independent woman can be. And she's shown me exactly who I want to be when I grow up.
My Mimi, my mom's mom, is where I get my laugh from. It's loud, flamboyant, and extremely contagious. Mimi loves spending time with her grandkids, whether it's over FaceTime or making up new games to try and keep us entertained. She makes us laugh every time we go shopping, as her famous line "Mimi will get it" follows us throughout the stores. She always tries to find us the most unique gifts from all of the auctions she attends. She is always the most excited person in the room when we hear good news. Mimi does everything in her power to make our lives rememberable, even if that means taking her animal-loving granddaughter to an Alpaca farm. And don't forget, she loves you to the moon and back.
Mimi is a remarkable woman. She has shown me what unshakable love is and how being a grandparent is the most natural thing in the world. She has shown her daughters and her granddaughters what it means to be a mother. And she's shown me exactly who I want to be when I am grown up.
Grandad, my mom's dad (and Mimi's husband), is the definition of hard working. He has built more bookshelves and benches than I can count. He's incredibly smart...even if he did get his education at N.C. State and not UNC. Grandad is a man made in God's shadow. My sister and I are convinced he knows the Bible by heart. He has let me in on the many mysteries the Bible has. He will tell you that you should always walk and talk with God. Grandad will tell you "Happy Easter!" on Christmas day, but Mimi will make him "sit on the steps" for it. Grandad never fails to remind you that he's proud of you, even for the littlest things imaginable.
Grandad is an amazing man. He has shown me what it means to be closer to God, and what being closer to God will do for me. He has shown his grandkids what it means to be hardworking. He has shown me exactly the kind of man I want to marry one day: God loving, family oriented, and hard working.
I have been absolutely blessed to have my Memaw, Mimi, and Grandad. They have shown me the ropes to life and they have taught me lessons no one else could.
I do hope to be just like both my Memaw and Mimi when I grow up, and I do hope that the man I marry resembles my Grandad's morals. Who wouldn't want to drink a Vodka Cranberry while making their grandkids lives rememberable, with a God-loving, hard-working man by your side?
