Grampie, I miss you!

My Grampie, was my mother's father. He was such a sweet and kind man. Although he and my Maw maw fought like cats and dogs, they loved each other very much. Every time I would be on the phone with her he would be yelling in he background, "I love you, little darlin!" He often told me that I should be Miss America, because I was the prettiest girl he had ever seen. He loved all the country music stars. He had a crush on Shania Twain and Faith Hill. He would say to my maw maw, "Look, Jean they are just as pretty as our Jodie!" He loved hunting dogs, sure he took them hunting every once in a while but he mostly just loved the dogs. All he ever wanted to talk about was dogs. My mom and aunts would joke about how he would pat us on our heads like we were dogs. I never knew someone with so much passion for something. He could literally sit for hours telling different stories about how one dog did this and the other did that. So every Christmas I would buy him a dog calendar and something else with a Beagle (they were his favorite) on it. The picture to the right was Christmas 1990 (yes I am holding a beagle stuffed animal). That year he bought all his granddaughters (me included) race car sets. He was so proud of them and we adored them because he had hand picked them himself. He had a tradition of making up boxes for each family at Christmas. He took those old tomato boxes and wrapped them in Christmas paper. Then he filled them with oranges, apples, old fashioned peppermint sticks (you know the melt in our mouth ones), pecans, and other assorted nuts. They were so nice. He loved fruitcake. I think it is horrible, but he loved it so I would always get it for him on his birthday (December 8th). He made the best cornbread ever. Every time I would go to visit them he would make it for me, because I loved it. It would almost melt in your mouth. I know part of his secret was to put a few tablespoons of Mayonnaise in it. I have so many memories of my grandfather. He as I said in my 100 things was the only person in my life to never hurt me in anyway. He thought I could do no wrong. I adored him in return. In the pic to the right he was walking me down the aisle at my wedding rehearsal. Look how proud he was. It warms my heart. Yesterday was 3 years since he passed away and it still breaks my heart. I will never forget him or the print he left on my heart. I miss and love you, grampie, until we meet again.

So yesterday I was thankful for my grandparents. They are and were very special to me.