Granny, our "LOVE" Magnet, PawPaw "Pat", and the Rabbit Dance.

Our Family has surely been "blessed" in the Grandparent Department.  I believe that it's truly a testament to what wonderful grandparents they were, but the Lil Momma's grandparents are a tough act to follow.  In fact, I don't even try.  I figure there is NO WAY any of us could do it as well as they did.  I've asked myself many times, just what it was that endeared them so in our hearts?  We miss them everyday and see them in everything around us, but for me, it seems to be worse on holidays.  Whether I look at it as a sad thing or as an amazing thing, all the holidays are benchmarked.  There is something about each one that brings a warm feeling to my heart and that feeling is "in part" a result of something those grandparents orchestrated. 



The Webbman's Easter Bucket!
Yes, it needs some of the Lil Momma's organizational skills :)



As I was checking my list (As you know, I've mentioned I have to keep them), I marked off the Easter bucket with his Webb's name on it and all the contents.  I started picking up items back in February and enjoyed selecting every one.  There is a Baby Einstein DVD, there are little bathtub toys, wooden blocks, the traditional "Peter Rabbit" book, and a "to die for" chew toy.  I keep fighting the feeling that somehow, it's not enough.  So as I've battled the irrational, I've tried to examine why I feel this way.  I thought about Easter when I was young and when the Lil Momma was a child, examining all the things that came to be "tradition" in our holidays.  There are many, but the one that made me smile the biggest is probably an Easter Tale that evolves around my Dad, the Lil Momma's "PawPaw Pat". 

Every girl believes her Dad is special, and they are, for the exact reasons that follow.  As the Lil Momma grew up, we were blessed to live around the corner from my Dad.  As she and I made our trip home from school and work daily, my Dad (PawPaw Pat) would make it a point to be sitting outside on his front steps (see picture below) if for no other reason than to wave.  Can you imagine?  I never thought much about it til I passed his house after he passed away, and the steps were empty.  Thinking back, he must have arranged his entire day (and we're talking about a 70 year old man with an extremely busy "social schedule") to make it  home for 3:20, to make it to his "spot".  It's little, I know, but it really says alot.  I wish I had a hug for all the days when life just seemed too busy to stop as we honked and waved.  Oh there were many many days when we did, but for some reason, this Easter weekend, I can't help but think about the times, we didn't. Sadly, we don't get "do-overs" on that type of thing people.

Anyhow, one Easter morning when the Lil Momma was about 5, he called and asked us to run over before we started our Easter activities.  We piled in the car, drove around the block and there he sat~on his steps awaiting our visit.  The Lil Momma hopped out, ran to hug him and we followed.  He happily told her, with his wonderful boyish grin, that the Easter Bunny had been by his house and left a BIG MESS.  Of course, this peaked her interest, and ours!  In we go, through the front door, and there from one end of my Dad's living room, down his hallway to the spare bedroom, were "BUNNY PRINTS" strategically placed all over his beautiful hardwood floors.  Of course, the Lil Momma was thrilled to follow the bunny trail and find her Easter basket.  To this day, the mental picture of my Dad on his arthritic hands and knees using baby powder and placing his thumb in it to imprint perfectly on the floor forming these "picture" perfect Easter Bunny prints is simply too much.  He was an amazing father, an amazing grandfather, and I spend alot of time wishing he was here to know Webb.  Just a quick add-on.  My Dad was famous within our family for doing what he called, "The Bunny Dance".  He was not a shy person.  It was not an easy thing to do, in fact, none of us had the talent he had.  We grew up in amazement of how he managed it.  The Dance involved sitting on the floor, kicking your legs out and swatting your butt with your hands.  Hard to envision, I know, but I can assure you, had you seen it . . . . . . you would never forget!  Nonetheless, at 70, he was still "Bunny Dancing" for the Lil Momma and I am so blessed to have him on video to prove it.  I'm looking forward to an Easter when we can share the "Bunny Dance" with Webb. The Lil Momma's . . . . . PawPaw "Pat" . . . . . . what an amazing thing that those two words can invoke so many memories and so much joy!

On the opposite side of our family was "Granny".  I can't even begin to know where to start.   Granny was the type of Grandmother that everyone would choose for their child.  Truly, if I would have had an opportunity to hand pick someone to fill that role, I would have hand picked her.  My Mom passed away when I was 17, so at 24, Granny made her way into my life and she just stepped right into that role.  She was there at the hospital with us, she came home with us.  She was just always there for whatever moment there was.  She was there at the doctor with us, there when the Lil Momma didn't feel good.  She was our "Go To Girl", and she NEVER let us down.  Sure, there were plenty of occasions when we may not have seen eye to eye, but it was hard to be angry or upset with "Granny" because there was never any question of her motive.   There was never anything behind her actions but the love and adoration of her children and grandchildren.  Granny was the Grandmother who bought exactly for the Lil Momma JUST what we, as parents, WOULD NOT!  She bought the baby chicks, the hamsters, the kittens, the goat and lastly, but not least importantly, she made a point of buying the Lil Momma a little black cabbage patch baby doll to be ensure we "loved" everyone in our home.  She made certain that her grandsons, had little girl baby dolls.  She thought everything through.  Granny had an answer for everything.  When there was thunder, the angels were bowling.  When the sky was pink and blue, the Easter Bunny had been painting the sky.  She wanted her three grandchildren to be compassionate and kind, but most importantly SHE was their biggest fan.  She never missed a ballgame, never missed a pageant, never missed an awards ceremony, never missed anything.  She is the inspiration for the type of grandmother this "Bitsy" wants to be. It was hard when the Lil Momma's Daddy and I divorced, and things were sticky, BUT it was certain, no divorce was going to keep Granny from being Granny!   Granny will be gone from us two years in June, and the hole she left is a huge one.  It almost makes you wonder how any one person can generate such emotion in so many people.  She was a virtual "LOVE" magnet and quite certainly, if I had my choice in people that the Cathoic Church should canonize . . . . it would probably be "Granny".  I can only hope she and the Lil Momma's "PawPaw Pat" are organizing an Easter Egg Hunt as we speak for all the little angels that keep them company upstairs!

The Lil Momma, Granny-our "Love" Magnet, and Cayce at the Aquarium in Atlanta,
 (Lil Momma's Cousin, Baseball Player Extraordinaire, Soccer Player Extraordinaire ,
 and one of Granny's two Grandsons!
Picture happily taken by Bitsy :)



PawPaw "Pat"  and the Lil Momma on the front steps of the house where he waited for us to pass!



Grandpa Tommy and the Lil Momma - Christmas, 1988.
We are so very blessed that he is still around to love the Lil Momma and
for Webb to get to know what a wonderful "Grandpa" he is.  We love him very much.



Webbman getting ready for the Easter Bunny!