Today, Sept. 10, is Grandparents Day, and it’s a time to celebrate our grandparents or remember them if they are no longer here.
All four of my grandparents have passed away, but growing up, my brother and I sent them cards every year. They always told my parents how much it meant to them that we sent them cards. I remember after one of my grandfathers passed away, when we were cleaning out his apartment, we found a bunch of old cards that we had sent. He kept them all those years, and it made me smile.
Growing up, we always lived far away from family, so anytime we got to see my grandparents was always so special. My Grandpa Jim passed away in 2000 when I was nine, so I don’t have as many memories of him. My memories are vague recollections of sitting at his kitchen table talking with family. But my Grandma Dorothy, his wife, passed away in 2017 at the age of 91. So her, I have a lot more memories of.
I remember her coming to Georgia to visit us and us going to the Atlanta area to see something (I don’t remember the specifics, but I remember the car ride). When I moved to Texas for work in 2014 I was excited because I was lot closer to her. Granted, it was still a six or seven hour car ride, but better than a 20 or so hour car ride from Augusta. Funny enough, some of my co-workers in Texas also had family out where she lived, so one weekend, two of us drove out there to see our respective families.
I was so excited to see my Grandma because it had been many years. I visited her house, which was always fun because I loved looking at the photos of my dad and his siblings throughout the years. We also met up with my aunts, uncles and cousins for lunch, and it was great to catch up with everyone. Another time my dad and I went out to see her, which was great because it was always nice to have family together.
My favorite memory though is when we celebrated her 90th birthday. As many family members as we could get came out to Midland, Texas to celebrate her. We all stayed at the same hotel and took her out for a nice dinner. My dad is one of eight children, so there were a lot of people there, and it was great seeing her smile at all of her kids, daughter-in-laws, grandkids and great-grandchildren all together.
For my mom’s family, they lived just as far away, but instead of Texas, they are up in New Jersey. I have just as many memories with them. My Mommom (mom’s mother) passed away in 2005, but I remember visiting, sitting around her house and playing different card games. I remember wearing orange to her funeral because it was her favorite color, which is a weird memory, but it stands out to me. Her husband, my Gramps, passed away in 2013, so I have even more memories of him.
I remember playing cards with him, him making us escargot, but only a few eating it because not every one liked snails (I was one of the ones who did not eat it). I remember walking around his apartment complex with him and just chatting about whatever was going on.
In 2009, one of my cousins who lives up there got married, so my mom and I went up for the wedding. I remember taking pictures with him and dancing with Gramps at the wedding. Another favorite memory is of us taking some trips to the Jersey Shore (it was not the same city as the popular TV show).
But what I remember most from all four grandparents is a lot of laughter and love when we were all together. Even though they are gone, it’s nice to be able to reminisce on the happy times and make new memories as my aunts, uncles and parents all become grandparents now.
So, this Grandparents Day take a moment to tell your grandparents you love them before they’re gone. And make sure to make plenty of memories with them.
Stephanie Hill is the managing editor and covers Columbia County government for The Augusta Press. Reach her at stephanie@theaugustapress.com.
