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Aunt, babysitting, California, death, Dodge Colt, Dr Pepper, Family, fireworks, first car, Fourth of July, freedom, friendship, grandpa, grandparents, Holidays, Independence Day, July, July 4th, July Fourth, sadness, summer job, Uncle, unconditional love
I have always loved 4th of July.
The Fireworks! Oooooh. Aaaaah.
The food.
Family time.
When I was a little girl it meant I got to stay up late while eating my weight in hotdogs and watermelon. Drinking as many Dr. Pepper’s from a glass bottle that I could stomach, and trying not to catch myself or anyone else on fire with sparklers. Also, secretly hoping I got to light one of THE BIG ONES once dusk rolled around.
We ALWAYS went to my Aunt June’s and Uncle Steve’s house in Sacramento, California, and it was one hot spot in July. But as a kid I hardly noticed, because it meant time spent with my cousins and Aunts and Uncles. For my family the trip was an hour-long and in those days we did not have air conditioning in the car. We usually piled into my grandpa and grandma‘s car who lived down the street, because it DID have air conditioning. These were my mom’s parents and as a kid my sister and I had access to these amazing people anytime we wanted. We were so lucky!
As I got older I brought friends with me, who became part of the family. See, I come from a sweet, loving, and welcoming bunch. So much of who I am and who we all are is because of the kind of people my grandparents were. I learned anyone can be a friend {even if they don’t look like you, have tattoos, long hair, or choose to not wear shoes}, and live by this motto today.
The summer I was 17 I had a job in another city babysitting for a family that had two kids {a boy and a girl}. The dad was in Kentucky {I think he was in the military}, the mom and kids were in Stockton, California. I was there to take care of the kids while the mom worked. I had a great time. It was like being a big sister and getting paid at the same time.
I acquired our ‘old’ family car as my own and named it Bandit, like from Smokey and the Bandit, when I was 16. It was a gold Dodge Colt, 4 gear manual transmission with 4 doors and an AM radio. For me that car was FREEDOM, and with another job I had so much money.
**Note** I had a job since I was 14 working on the weekends at a Bed and Breakfast, so this money was in addition to what I already was earning. Basically it meant I could buy CD’s, fill up my tank {in those days gas was under a dollar a gallon!} and go to lunch off campus, and not have to ask my parents for money all the time. My parents still got me my school clothes and that kind of stuff.
So I drove an hour one way to this second job where I would take the kids swimming {work on my tan}, go to the movies {the mom paid}, cook for them {eat junk food}, and live at their house with them for four or five days in a row.
FREEDOM!
The Fourth of July was coming up and I was making plans to go to my Aunt and Uncle’s house. My friend Sara was going to come with me so she came with me to my job for a few days {I can’t believe I was able to do this}, and then we were going to drive from Stockton to Sacramento.
We lived in Sutter Creek and the three cities were a triangle on the map, so it made sense for her to come with me…no backtracking.
Anyway, this is the Fourth of July that I will never forget.
I learned over a phone call that my mom’s sweet daddy had passed away earlier that morning. A man who taught me about gardening, painting, composting, fishing, relaxing, how to eat corn on the cob one row at a time, to save your cornbread for last so you could put in your milk, and the importance of family.
When I was little I was sick a lot of the time, which meant many missed days of school. My grandpa would come to our house to bring me lunch. Sometimes he would sit with me while I ate, others he would leave what my grandma had made for me in the fridge. Usually I got a peanut better and grape jelly sandwich on wonder bread. If I wasn’t very sick I might even have a treat in the freezer of vanilla ice cream with fresh strawberries nested inside two Styrofoam cups secured with a rubber band.
The details are fuzzy, but that day when I was 17, the phone conversation continued as my mom explained how my grandpa fell, and stopped breathing earlier that morning. The call ended knowing we would see each other for our traditional family get together. My parents would drive my grandparents car and bring my grandma. My mom said it would be best to be with family right now.
We are also a God-fearing bunch and I knew my sweet grandpa had gone to heaven. I was in shock. I wasn’t ready for this, and was so mad this happened on my favorite day.
Later that evening while we were getting ready to eat one of my Uncle’s was saying grace and said “…today a great man went to be with you in heaven. He was a husband, friend, father, and grandfather. Today we celebrate his life and every year we will get together and celebrate it again…amen”.
As I have gotten older and moved farther away from family I still remember those summer evenings where my Uncle Steve would break out his guitar and fill the air with a lovely melody. Food cooked on a grill, corn on the cob from Sloughhouse, Martha’s Baked Beans, and watermelon were staples at these gatherings, and even though I am in Austin and not able to be there I know they still are.
So this year as we celebrate Fourth of July I remember all the freedom I have been given and celebrate my grandpa Harold Craig. He was a wonderful example of unconditional love.
nordictrack Recumbent bike said:
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Djrelat7 said:
Good times remembered, reminds me of how much I miss my grandparents! Happy SITS day!
Classic NYer said:
What a beautifully written tribute.
Jean Lynd said:
What a beautiful story! BTW, July 5th is my b-day, which makes me like Independence Day even more 🙂 Happy SITS day!
Myna said:
What a wonderful tribute to your grandfather. I enjoyed your post so much!
Christy @ My Invisible Crown said:
Great story. I loved my grandfather so much. He passed away last year and I miss him so. Thanks for sharing.
heysheila said:
Sorry for your loss. Grandpas are very special, I still miss mine.
Emily Cullen said:
What a wonderful memory and well written post. Your family’s 4th of July celebrations were very special indeed.
KG Style Designs (@kgstyleinc) said:
What a sweet sweet story! I never grew up with a grandfather but I grew up with my beautiful grandmother. We love our grandparents so much and although I knew she was old, I knew the day she would die would be the hardest for me.
Thanks for posting
Khloé Gadson
CEO – INTERIOR DESIGNER/EVENT PLANNER
KG STYLE DESIGNS
http://www.kgstyleblogs.com
heysheila said:
It is hardest letting go of the ones who teach us how to live and love.
Thanks for visiting.
motheringfromscratch said:
{Melinda} What a beautiful post and a touching tribute not only to your sweet Grandpa, but your entire family. You were and are indeed very blessed to have such love and support.
Happy SITS Day!
Lisa said:
Oh, what a sweet man he sounds, and what a wonderful tribute. On another note, the 4th of July is my favorite holiday…
anotherjennifer said:
Beautiful tribute to your grandpa. While he’s gone, it’s wonderful that you have such fond memories to remember him by.
Heather said:
That was such a beautiful tribute. It brought tears to my eyes.
heysheila said:
It gets me every time and I know exactly how it ends. {Here’s a tissue.} Thanks for visiting.
Sheila Skillingstead said:
Thank you for the post. My grandfather was super special too. When I was 17 my Dad died but grandfather stayed around for many years after. Visiting from SITS. Have a great SITS Day.
Morgan Kellum said:
This is a beautiful testimony to your Grandpa and to your family! I, too, love the Fourth of July because of our family traditions and now that I’m passing them on to my kids, they become even more precious. Glad to meet another July 4th fanatic! 🙂
Enjoy your SITS day! 🙂
heysheila said:
Thanks Morgan. It’s great to have family traditions to share with future generations, glad you’re passing your love for the 4th of July on to your kids.
Kathy Penney @ Pinner Takes All said:
Such a sweet post! There is something wonderful about grandpa’s and you sound like you had a great one. I was lucky and had my grandpa well into my 30’s until he was taken a few years ago. I still can’t believe he’s gone and look at the rocking chair of his and smile. I know he had a long good life and is in heaven too. My only regreat is he didn’t get to meet my munchkins. I really enjoyed reading your memories and it brought back some good ones of my own!
heysheila said:
Thanks for sharing a bit about your grandpa. You are lucky to have had him in your life so long. So glad you stopped by.
Kim@Co-Pilot Mom said:
What lovely memories and a beautiful tribute. Hope you enjoy your SITS Day!
heysheila said:
Thank you Kim!
The Dose of Reality said:
Beautiful post. It totally made me tear up! 4th of July was also one of my very favorite childhood holidays when we spent it with my mother’s family. Happy SITS day to you…I bet your grandpa is smiling down on you today! 🙂
heysheila said:
I guess this post should come with a disclaimer about having some tissue on hand. Thanks for visiting, now I’m tearing up.
aspgriswold said:
This is a great post! Wishing you a happy SITS day!!
heysheila said:
Thank you! It’s nice to meet you Amanda!
Laura @ Pruning Princesses said:
What a great history. What a great family. I am an only child from a very dysfunctional family and would love to have my kids experience such family gatherings. It is obvious where you get your big heart and playful spirit. Blessings to you. May you pass your in heritage on to others some day.
heysheila said:
One of the great things about life is our friends become our family. Best girlfriends become aunties, and guy friends become uncles. Laura, thank you for coming by and for commenting.
JDaniel4's Mom said:
What wonderful summers you had making memories! Happy SITS day!
heysheila said:
Summers always end, but memories last forever, thanks for visiting!
misssrobin said:
What a lovely tribute. Thanks for sharing.
And for reminding me of all the trips I took without air conditioning. Today, I am grateful for air conditioning.
Stopping by from SITS.
heysheila said:
Thanks glad you liked it. And thanks for stopping by.
alphabetstory said:
Reblogged this on Alphabet Story.
alphabetstory said:
Happy Fourth to all!
Sheila, the fourth was probably grandpas favorite holiday too! I rembember that day with sadness, but didn’t Heaven celebrate even more that day!
heysheila said:
Glad to know we shared one more thing!