Family – There is nothing like it.

My emotions have been all over the place the past few days. Hubby mentioned my Grandpa to a friend as we talked about the MS walk tonight, and my eyes swelled with tears as I thanked God for my huge sunglasses! This afternoon I read my mom’s Facebook post about how my Great Grandma would have been 118 years old today, and a HUGE flood of memories and emotions came tonight as I sat here on the couch.

Maybe COVID and this lockdown crap has finally gotten to me. I don’t know.

I do know that I have been a really lucky person! I had my grandparents on my dad’s side until 1985 (when Grandpa passed) and 1990 (when Grandma passed). I was absolutely spoiled by growing up with my grandparents in town. Grandpa passed away when I was 13 (the one who was mentioned this evening) and then I had my Grandma until I was 40 years old! How incredible is that?!?!?

But, as I read my mom’s post today, I knew my great-grandparents! I know I was young when Great-Grandpa passed away in 1983, but man do I remember some pretty special times with him! And, my great-grandma……I had her until I was 23 years old! Tonight, a whole host of memories came rushing to my brain…

Thanksgivings at their house in Skokie

The awesome basement we would play in during family parties…and the really cool peanut dispenser that sat up on the bar!

Sitting at her kitchen table while she taught me how to play “Solitaire” with her very worn deck of cards. I was amazed by her shuffling ability!

Going to visit her and her love of KFC dinner!

Lying on their bed in their bedroom and burying ourselves in everyone’s coats! There were so many coats at those Thanksgiving dinners!

How sad I felt for Great Grandma after Great-Grandpa passed away and I saw his boots sitting by her back door. This is one of my first “empath” memories.

Being in her small tv room watching football games with many extended family members! The Hills are a massive family!!!! There were a lot of people!

Anytime she would come and stay at our house in her later years she would ALWAYS bring her famous sweet rolls or her yummy BRAN MUFFINS! I haven’t made those muffins for at least 14 years……I think I need to dig out that recipe soon!

As a little girl, I was always in awe of her clip on earrings! They always looked like they hurt but she always assured me they didn’t! She had matching jewelry for all of her dresses.

I remember my mom taking her to visit cemeteries around Chicago so that Grandma could “visit” her family members. I loved this past summer when I was able to bring my mom and dad to various cemeteries and find family graves from long ago. (Can I tell you how much I love ancestry.com?) Such a rich, meaningful, respectful tradition in families.

As I grew up, I often compared The Queen of England to my Great-Grandma…. she was far from that royal family, but she was the Hill family matriarch for years and years. She was our royal family in my eyes.

Here, I leave you tonight (or rather early this morning) with a photo of my Grandma Dorothy (my Grandpa’s wife), my Great-Grandma Caroline (my Grandpa’s mother) and me – at age 16 or 17.

I love our family and all of it’s history….. and I sure am lucky to have had such awesome experiences with my grandparents and great-grandparents!

Much Love,

Melissa