Story Time with Papaw

Happy New Year, Ya'll. I hope everyone had a wonderful/safe holiday.

For me it was a bit strange, strange that it was already Christmas, though it didn't really feel like it. Strange that it's a new year already, I just felt as if I celebrated the start of 2012 and now we begin 2013. Maybe its because it has been such a rough year, or perhaps its because as I grow older time seems to fly faster and faster. When I was kid things didn't go this fast. When I was a kid summers lasted forever, the days were endless, and you never felt as if you grew fast enough. Now I just wish time could stop. I want my kids to stop changing and maturing before my very eyes. I want to be able to blink without the fear that something I cherish will dissapear. However, time doesn't stop. Things are in constant motion and therefore always change.

 

I heard this loud and clear on the Friday before Christmas. My goal was to go to my grandparents home to pick up my son's Christmas present (I had it hidden in my Memaw's shed), then jump in the car and drive the hour back to my house. However, as I loaded up the Christmas present my Papaw stepped to the front door and I knew I could never leave without spending a few minutes to talk to him. A few minutes turned into 2 hours, and the mundane "how have things been" turned into stories from my Papaw's childhood on up through the years and how he started his business.

 

A few facts about my Papaw:

There are two sides to Robert Adams. There is a soft side; he is giving, caring, sometimes quiet, and adoring of all his grand/great grandchildren. There is a tough side; he's not a push over, he'll tell you what he thinks, he makes the hard choices, and I've been told he was a tough as nails boss (most people won't believe he can be pretty hard, if they don't know him well).

 

He has only a 3rd grade education, but do not make the mistake of thinking that has inhibited his success. He started and ran a very successful painting business for years and made more money than some people make in their lifetime.

 

He loves western movies & shows. Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, those are his favorites. Thanks to Papaw I developed a love of western movies at a young age. At 2pm every weekday  you could find me at papaws house watching the daily western that came on TNT with him.

 

As I sat there, feeling time slip by and knowing that I had a million things to do that night, I couldn't help but let it all go. Those things that had to be done could wait, because I rarely get moments to spend time alone with my Papaw, and I realized that I don't know how many more opportunities I will have in the future. There was a time in 2007 that I didn't think there would be future moments with my Papaw. He had a scheduled open heart surgery, things went well up until the very end where something went very wrong. The doctors still can't really describe what happened, but he died in that operating room only to be brought back. He was in ICU for what felt like a lifetime. God brought him through that tragedy and has given him more time to spend with his family his family more time to have their Papaw/dad/father in law/uncle/brother.

There was a statement he made during the conversation about all the money he'd made and everything he'd done with it. He said that people kept telling him not to spend it so fast (building a swimming pool, taking all the grandkids/kids to Disney for Christmas ect..) that he would need it one day, but he said "You can't take it with you and I don't regret what we did. We enjoyed doing things with and for our kids and you grandkids". I don't think I'll ever forget that.

 

That Friday I was slapped in the face with the fact that years have moved at the speed of light and I am no longer that little girl who used to ride with Papaw up to Ashley's Feed Store to get drinks and candy. That there are no more ice cream sandwiches and pickled sausages that he bought and stored in his huge shed/barn just for us always starving kids. Yes, it does make me sad to think of how I've grown and how things have changed, but it also makes me grateful. Grateful that I've had my Papaw for my entire 28 years, that all three of my kids have grown up knowing and spending time with my Papaw. I'm grateful for my grandparents. Thankful that I was blessed with a loving and caring Memaw and Papaw and that they are still in my life. They don't realize just how much I love, respect, and cherish them.

 

 

 



Below are pins that I found and wanted to share with ya'll...

 



 

Ya'll have a great Wednesday, an amazing start to the new year, and be blessed!