Friday, May 18, 2007

Show and Tell Friday!

Kelli over at http://kellishouse.blogspot.com is having Friday Show and Tell. So today I thought I would show you someone who is very dear to me. My Grandmother. I know I have already written about her before, but she is just so amazing I am going to do it again. The above picture was taken last Sunday on Mother's Day. Tell me, does that beautiful lady look 95 to you?

Grandma was born in Christiansburg Virginia, May 15, 1912. Her father was killed in a train accident in 1911, 5 months before she was born. He had gone to get the family a Christmas tree and was taking a shortcut over the railroad trestle. Nobody knows for sure why he couldn't get off the trestle before the train hit him, maybe his foot was caught, nobody knows.

Grandma had 3 older siblings. When she was 15 months old, her brothers and neighbors child was playing with gas and matches. Somehow she got gas spilled on her and when her brother lit a match, her dress caught fire. When the neighbor looked out her window and saw Grandma on fire she ran and put the fire out. All that was left of the dress was the binding around the neck. Dr.s did not think she would live. She was burned from her neck to her knees. She had to lay in a sheet that was stretched over the tops of four chairs so that air could circulate around her for almost a year. She proved the Dr.s wrong, and continued to improve though she had to learn to crawl and walk all over again.

When she was 20 she met and married my Grandfather. My Dad was born one year later. Her happiness was not to last however. When my Dad was only three my Grandfather went into business with his brothers, who were not the most savory men around. Soon after he began to drink heavily and not come home at night. Grandma found out he had been seeing another woman. Not only had he been seeing this woman, the woman was also pregnant with his child. (Which she aborted). My Grandmother did something that was practically unheard of in the 1930's. she filed for divorce. Later, my Grandmothers sister came to live with her and together they raised my Dad.

Ten years later she met the man that I always considered to be my Grandfater. He worked with her and after a year of dating they married. They moved to Giles county to a farm where they lived happily until 1991 when my Grandfater passed away. Then Grandma moved to Roanoke to live closer to us.

Grandma turned 95 years old this past Wednseday. I made her a card and told her if you were to look up the "perfect grandma" in the dictionary, her picture would be there. I love and adore her so much and have been so blessed to have her in my life.

26 comments:

Autumn said...

YOu guys sound really close. Thanks for sharing. I love all of the old pictures.

Jenn4Him said...

Love those pictures of your grandma! That one on the car says it all!

Tracy said...

What awonderful tribute. Your grandma sounds like a real fighter!

Kelli said...

What a beautiful picture of your Grandma and no she does not look 95! I enjoyed the other pictures too, what a special lady!
Kelli

Karen said...

What a strong women to persevere like that and she looks gorgeous at 95!

Karen
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/karenmontalto

Lori said...

What a wonderful tribute to your grandma. It was fun to see the photos of her. Thanks for sharing with us.

Lyndy said...

Wow what a great story. I just wrote about my own grandmother last week. She lived just a few months shy of 100. How wonderful that you still have your grandmother around.

Have a blessed weekend.

Lyndy

Sharon said...

She's 95?! She looks great! Thank you for the story behind this wonderful lady. I enjoyed it.

Tracy said...

Your grandmother sounds like a very strong & wonderful lady. Love all the pictures. Thanks for sharing!

Kim said...

I miss my grandmother, thank you for the beautiful pictures.

Susan said...

How sweet. And no, she does not look 95. You are truly blessed :o)
Susan

Karen said...

This is a beautiful tribute to your Grandmother! I think there is so much wisdom in the aged that we never tap into. She looks like a beautiful lady. Thank you for sharing her with us.

Kim @ Home Is Where The Heart Is said...

What a wonderful story...thank you for sharing it...you are very blessed!

Nancy Jo said...

Enjoyed reading about your Grandma, I was brought up by mine on a farm, they ARE very special.
Thankyou for stopping by my site, and for your nice comments. I have a lot of fun posting pictures.
I see you like Gladys Tabor, I have a lot of her books, and I have a short letter she wrote to my Aunt. My Aunt had sent her a gift and she wrote back.Its from her Stillmeadow farm, in 1961.
In fact we are going to visit my Aunt tomorrow, she is 92. There is a picture of her and me in my archives on my site.
NANCY JO

theups said...

Wow! What a life!! Thank you SO much for sharing about your amazing grandmother!!! She sounds wonderful! I just hate that I don't know her, too!!

His,
Mrs. U

Lovella ♥ said...

Wow what an incredible story of survival and living life.

You are right to be proud of this dear lady. There is so many stories that will never be told. Thank you for sharing this one.

Unknown said...

What a loving tribute! I enlarged the photos and I couldn't tell she had any burn scars, so that is wonderful. God had plans for her for sure! She has experienced some hard knocks in life, but wears them well.

Rhonda said...

Thanks for sharing your amazing grandmother's story. After having such a rough start, her happy ending is especially sweet.
I also had 2 amazing grandmas, They lived to be 95 and 99.

dot said...

YOur grandma is a doll! I love that last picture!
Enjoyed hearing her story.

Carole Burant said...

I hope I can look that good when I'm 95!! She is beautiful and you are so very lucky to still have her in your life! I can't get over all the tragedies she had to endure during her life...she's a strong woman and I love it that she filed for divorce in the era when that was unheard of!!! Bless her heart. xox

Trella said...

Thank you for sharing your grandmother with us. She sounds like a wonderful person.

I love the pictures, especially the one of her on the car.

And, no your grandmother does not look 95.

Myrna said...

A wonderful tribute! Your grandma is a brave woman. She definitely fought several battles in her life that would have stopped many people. I'm sure you have also been a blessing to her.

The Tiquehunters Wife said...

Your grandma had many heartbreaks but still persevered! She does not sound like a lady who feels sorry for herself! Wonderful tribute and your love and respect for her is a rare thing to hear these days! She looks wonderful too!
Thanks so much for stopping by the cabin! Blessing to you-Claudia O

Lori said...

I have a new blog address

http://lorisblogspace.blogspot.com

Feel free to update your site.

I've enjoyed blogging back and forth with you and getting to know you. I didn't want to loose touch with you.
Due to someone local posting my full name and town I'm from I felt better changing it.

Henny Penny said...

What a wonderful tribute to a beautiful lady!

Jodi said...

Linda ~ I didn't make it all the way around last week, and I missed this beautiful post! What a lovely lady your grandmother is ... with such gorgeous white hair! She sounds like a strong lady that has persevered. How wonderful to have her in your life! I can see that you cherish her. :o)