Wednesday, February 25, 2015

A time to laugh - Part 2

Since tomorrow is dad's birthday, it seems fitting that I go ahead and complete my blog about Greg. (They were somewhat inseparable!) When it comes to my kids, the posts can get really lenghty, but I'll try to keep it all short and in context :)

So when we found out we were pregnant, I wanted a cool way to tell mom and dad ( I guess "reveal" type stuff was in even back in '89!)  Mom made all of my clothes, so I thought -- perfect.  I'll go buy a dress pattern, take it to her and see what she says.  So I did.  Mom looked at the pattern, thought how cute of a dress it was, not noticing that it said "materinity" on it until I pointed it out LOL  Mom and dad were SOOO excited!

And then in January 1989, along came Greg.  I can remember thinking before he was born, "Dennis and I have got this.  We don't need any help.  No one can tell me how to parent" etc... Boy were we wrong!  I was never so excited to see mom and dad bring their suitcases and stay with us for the first week!  I learned my lesson then....I needed my parents now more than ever. 

So back to Greg... he probably spent a lot more time, especially growing up, more with dad than he did mom.  He and dad were always getting into something -- every day was spent in his workshop building something.  One year for Christmas, dad built himself, Dennis and Jerry gun cases.  Greg pounded away on them, too.  Maybe that's why our door is a little crooked??  LOL  Actaully, it's perfect!  If they weren't building something, they were hunting (or attempting to), or in the garden or dad was letting Greg mow the yard.  Now, that is a tricky subject.  Mom has flowers....LOTS of flowers!  As much as Greg wanted on that mower, he wasn't very talented when it come to making those really tight curves.  There was one day when Greg mowed over one of mom's bushes.  Of course, dad took the blame, even though mom knew who did it.  As much as she loved that bush, she loved her Gregory more.  It was okay.

As he got older, and after dad died, he spent a lot of time with mom.  He would check on her, even when I didn't know he was.  In the spring when the jonquils would bloom, he always picked her a bouquet, usually from the side of the road somewhere.   He was constantly going over there, doing chores for her, carrying in her groceries, changing light bulbs, fixing her TV.  It wasn't that she was incapable of doing some of those things -- she just enjoyed Gregory taking care of her.

Grandma was the woman by which his future wife would be judged!  I didn't know this until after they were married, but Jess had told me that when they were dating, Greg had told her that if Grandma didn't approve, it wouldn't work out.  I think that says a lot about him and his character, and the love and the trust that he put in his grandma's opinion.  Now, he knew exactly what her answer was going to be about Jess -- we all did!  Mom loved her and approved :) 

Greg was always so patient and loving with mom.  Just a few weeks before she went to Heaven, we had dinner at church.  That was the one time that she went to church in her wheelchair (which she didn't want to do by the way!)  Before church was out, Greg leaned over and told me he was taking mom on over and getting her plate before anyone left.  He didn't want her waiting, and by going before church was dismissed, it wasn't really noticed that she was in a wheelchair -- or in pants, but that's a different story for a different day LOL

The day we went to the hospital, Greg was so brave.  He was trying to calm me down, when I know inside he was hurting just as much.  Such a precious, giving heart.  But true love came in mom's room earlier in the evening.  Not a lot of people know this story and I hope he is okay with me sharing....  The nurse came in to put mom's leg in traction.  She had said it would be painful, but she would try to do is as quick and painless as she could, but she assured us it would feel better once she was done.  I somewhat halfheartedly asked her if she needed help (if you know me much at all, you will know that I am NOT a nurse!).  To my surprise, she said she could really use another set of hands.  I didn't know what to do.  Greg stepped up -- he said I can do it.  Such unselfish love!  As hard as that was for him, it was a beautiful act of kindness.  At that time and that moment, I could not have been any prouder to call him my son...

I have heard before you can tell how a man will treat his wife by the way he treats his mom.  Well, he has always been an awesome kid....but if you can tell how a man will treat his wife by the way he treats his grandma, then Jess -- your days will be filled with love, respect, admiration, and devotion.  Not to say there won't be some disagreements, after all mom did get after him with a flyswatter a time or two.  But he stuck with her until the end and showed his unconditional love.

Next time.... Whit...


  

3 comments:

  1. Beautifully written. Brought tears to my eyes!

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  2. I have to agree. He is a very special guy. He has a heart of gold. I know Jess is blessed.

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  3. I have to agree. He is a very special guy. He has a heart of gold. I know Jess is blessed.

    ReplyDelete