Aunt Patti gave me a book for my birthday, an old book, inside a gift box, it doesn't even have a page with the year that it was published. But it does have something written on the first page: "Ann J Holmes / Argyle 53504 / 543-5210"
This book used to belong to Grandma Ann, and I have no idea when she received it, or if someone gave it to her for some birthday or other event, or any of the book's history. But there are small pencil X's next to some of the passages, and that might be the most interesting part. Like this one "You grow up the day you have your first real laugh - at yourself." Or this one "It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all." And its really gotten me to thinking about what I know about Grandma Ann. I feel like I know nothing about her. Which is why I guess I'm writing this blog - its fun to share what's going on in our lives with everyone else, and keep the grandparents updated on the latest Archer & Shelly stories. But honestly, I'm not writing this for all of you who are reading it now. I'm writing it for Archer and Shelly, hoping that someday they'll enjoy reading what my perspective was on their childhood adventures. And that's why I really like the comments that you add to my story, it gives Archer and Shelly more history from everyone else's point of view as well.
And back to Grandma Ann - when she put X's next to these little quotes, was it because it was something she found amusing? Or something she wanted to remember in her daily life, how she could remind herself to keep a sense of humor? And she only has X's in the first 20 pages or so - the book is 86 pages long. Did she never get around to reading the rest of it? Or did she read it but only a little at a time in passing, not having a pencil in her hand later on to mark things because she was too busy with a house full of six kids and a husband to cook for? Maybe she never had a chance to get past the first two chapters Love and Joy and maybe that's ok - maybe those are the most important ones. Although, I have a feeling that she had pleanty of experience with the remaining topics: Peace, Long Suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance. These chapters came from Galatians, "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." And its nice to have a reminder out of the past of nine things I can think about when trying to be a better mom, and of the values I want to teach my kids. And again, I think of the values of Grandma Ann's children, and see that she was so successful in teaching these values to her children and passing them on to further generations. And I can see how these nine values have built such a strong family, of six adults and their families who have spread out with their own families and interests and lives, but who still always make time to come back together for the important times, and the fun times. Thank you again, Grandma, for what you've shared with me through your children. And thanks Aunt Patti, for sharing your mom's book with me.
This book used to belong to Grandma Ann, and I have no idea when she received it, or if someone gave it to her for some birthday or other event, or any of the book's history. But there are small pencil X's next to some of the passages, and that might be the most interesting part. Like this one "You grow up the day you have your first real laugh - at yourself." Or this one "It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all." And its really gotten me to thinking about what I know about Grandma Ann. I feel like I know nothing about her. Which is why I guess I'm writing this blog - its fun to share what's going on in our lives with everyone else, and keep the grandparents updated on the latest Archer & Shelly stories. But honestly, I'm not writing this for all of you who are reading it now. I'm writing it for Archer and Shelly, hoping that someday they'll enjoy reading what my perspective was on their childhood adventures. And that's why I really like the comments that you add to my story, it gives Archer and Shelly more history from everyone else's point of view as well.
And back to Grandma Ann - when she put X's next to these little quotes, was it because it was something she found amusing? Or something she wanted to remember in her daily life, how she could remind herself to keep a sense of humor? And she only has X's in the first 20 pages or so - the book is 86 pages long. Did she never get around to reading the rest of it? Or did she read it but only a little at a time in passing, not having a pencil in her hand later on to mark things because she was too busy with a house full of six kids and a husband to cook for? Maybe she never had a chance to get past the first two chapters Love and Joy and maybe that's ok - maybe those are the most important ones. Although, I have a feeling that she had pleanty of experience with the remaining topics: Peace, Long Suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance. These chapters came from Galatians, "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." And its nice to have a reminder out of the past of nine things I can think about when trying to be a better mom, and of the values I want to teach my kids. And again, I think of the values of Grandma Ann's children, and see that she was so successful in teaching these values to her children and passing them on to further generations. And I can see how these nine values have built such a strong family, of six adults and their families who have spread out with their own families and interests and lives, but who still always make time to come back together for the important times, and the fun times. Thank you again, Grandma, for what you've shared with me through your children. And thanks Aunt Patti, for sharing your mom's book with me.
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