Nanny

This is Nanny (Nina Pauline Jones). My, on Wednesday, 87 year old grandmother - and she did give me permission to share her age.

She is an amazing woman. She was married at 14 to Marion Franklin Jones. She had Carolyn at 16, Carl at 17, Delores at 19, then ‘took in’ Brenda at 36 (who was later adopted into their family). They lived all over the south moving from state to state, where ever Grandpa Jones’ job took him. At 50 her husband of 36 years died from a brain aneurysm. She has never remarried....or at least not yet.
A few years ago she fell and broke her hip which started a ‘care rotation’ with her children. The 'rotation', or shall I say tour still continues even though she has recovered from her injury. The Nan tour starts in South Carolina with Carolyn from November to February, then to Carl in Seattle from February to May, finally home to Alabama with Brenda for May through August, and to my parents house August to November. I don’t think she likes it very much since she is only truly home for such a brief time. I, however, LOVE IT!!!!!

Most of my life consisted of Nanny living in Alabama and if we wanted to see her we would all load up in the car with our doodle boxes (the 70’s/80’s version of DVD player sans the TV screen and the ability to watch a movie) and drive for 18 hours. So to have her a mile from my house three months of the year is one of the best things about summer. Sitting and sewing together, chatting, drinking coffee and eating cookies, watching cooking shows….these times to me are so precious with her and I will cherish them for all of my life.
Another reason I love that she is here is below:

The time my kids get to spend with her. Here they are talking and getting the green beans from my mom’s garden ready for dinner or supper or whatever one might call the mealtime in the evening. They will actually have first hand experiences and stories to tell their children about Nanny. A relationship with their great grandmother that will be remembered with joy and seen as blessed.

So Nanny, we love you so much. I am tremendously thankful that the Lord has seen fit to have you here so I can spend time talking with you and laughing with you and listening to you share stories and learn how to cook from you, my Nanny is an unbelievable cook!, and sit quietly with you and help you and enjoy you and love you and be able to have my relationship with you grow more intimate as I grow older.

This is really a wish turned reality to have her here. When I was young I frequently would say how much I wished Nanny lived here. And now she does and I love it.

Love you Nan!