I am a 38yo wife, mother, friend & sister. I have been married for 17 years, and I have two children: Music (formerly Karate Kid) my 14yo son, and Drama Queen, my 12yo daughter.
When I was little, my brother and I used to go spend a week during the summer with my grandparents. My grandpa had the coolest thing ever to a young child--a hammock. "Bubba" and I probably drove them crazy fighting over it.
After a few years and another sibling later, my grandparents moved closer to us. We still spent a week with them, but it was a total change. From the heat and flatness of Texas to the hills of the Ozarks in Arkansas (Makes me want to sing "And I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free..."). My grandparents used all of their savings and retirement and built a house in a retirement community. It is beautiful over there. I don't know how many hours we spent exploring the woods around their house or swimming in the lake that was just out of sight around the curve. The thing I liked most about their house was the screened-in deck that they built on the back. Because their house was built on the side of a hill, you walked in the front door at ground level, but the deck was suspended off the backside of the hill. It was exciting and just a little bit scary all at the same time. The deck was the new home of the infamous hammock.
I must have been the most boring child ever to spend a week with. Either that or I was the easiest. I would sleep in some, eat breakfast, choose one of my grandmother's Christian romance paperbacks and head to the hammock. I spent the rest of the day there, leaving only for meals and bathroom breaks. I read a book a day for the entire week, year after year.
For years I have wanted my own hammock, but I've just never bought one. My grandpa's hammock ended up over at my parents' house, where I saw it out in the backyard at Easter. I, of course, began the campaign to become the new owner, not knowing that it had already been given to my sister.
That really put the idea in my head, so I began telling both of my children I wanted a hammock for Mother's Day. I think this is only the second year ever that I've actually asked for something. But it was worth it. Not only did I get a hammock, I got a double one. It will be perfect for when I read to the kids. Since there's such an age gap and gender difference, I always read different books to them. I have visions of lying in the hammock with each one of them, losing ourselves in the stories we are reading and enjoying some fresh air. Those will be wonderful memories for me, and I hope great ones for them also.
Since I'm busy finishing my last order of a side "business" that I do, I haven't had a chance to plant myself in it for more than 10 minutes, and I certainly haven't had the chance to settle down with a good book. That time is fast approaching, though, because my order is due Monday. I see many lazy days lost in a good book in my near future.
Thanks for the memories, Granny and Grandpa.
Posted @
8:59 AM ~
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