Memorial Day for me

You already know we do things a bit strange around here, this is just gonna add to the list :)

Memorial Day for most is spending time going to graveyards placing beautiful wreaths on the graves of loved ones.  Memorial Day for us - ICE CREAM!

You see years ago when my pappy john (my greatgrandpa) was still around, he said to my mom, "don't cry over my grave, don't waste money on flowers i will never see.  Take those babies and get them some ice cream."  He loved ice cream and he loved us.  He wanted us to not be sad on this day of remembering, but to remember the good times, the stuff he loved.  And I am pretty sure ice cream topped his list.  So out of no disrespect for others, today I will take my kids for ice cream.  We will celebrate the life of a man, they never knew, but who prayed for them before they were born or even knew they were a possibility.  He died when I was about 8 years old, but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt he prayed for me.  He prayed for my future and my future family, he was just that kind a guy.  He made an impression on my life that will always remain.

Today as we eat our ice cream, the memories of him will flood back like a river.

I will remember gardening with him, well actually I just played in the dirt, he did the gardening, but I thought I was working so hard :)

I remember he could eat corn on the cob by the dozen.

I remember riding on his lap from WV to OH in the front of a pick truck and eating fried chicken straight from the bucket. (This was before seatbelt laws, and besides there were so many of us in the front of that thing, if we wrecked, no one would have moved.)

I remember stopping in Ironton for the ice cream every time we drove through, because there was a place there that made the biggest ice cream cones you have ever seen.  Soft serve at least 18inches high!

I remember finding him asleep in his rocking chair and asking him if he was sleeping and would say - "nah, just checkin' for holes".  For years I believed he actually thought there could be holes in his eyelids.

I remember watching him pray and seeing miracles happen - I am talking biblical miracles here, people.

The last memory I have of him, I fell asleep at my grandparents and he carried me out.  I opened my sleepy little eyes and saw his kind face in his old red ball cap, and his kiss me on the head (one of those kisses that you know has a prayer behind it) and whispered - "I love you"

Enjoy your Memorial Day in the way that your family feels best, and you feel like you have honored those who have gone on before.

As for me and my family, don't wonder when you see us laughing over ice cream, we are just honoring a great man!

Me and Pappy 1975