{Wednesday Hodgepodge // Memories, Quirks, and Random Thoughts}

It’s Wednesday, and you know what that means around here…time for a little hodgepodge! This is one of my very favorite link-ups each week. I love sitting down with a cup of sweet tea and working through these fun questions. It’s always such a sweet way to reflect, share little pieces of my heart, and of course, connect with all of you. So let’s get into this week’s edition!

1. Next Sunday is Grandparent's Day. Share a favorite memory, photo, recipe, or something you learned from a grandparent.

Grandparents sure are sweet and special, aren’t they? I’m so thankful for the ones I still have here on earth, but I sure do miss those who have gone on to be with our Lord and Savior. Each of my grandparents left such a unique mark on my life, and I carry their stories and lessons with me every single day.

Papa Baldy & Granny Nancy – these were my mom’s parents, and both have passed on. I miss them dearly. Some of my favorite memories with Papa Baldy are from his place in Bowie. As kids, we thought it was the coolest place ever! His bedroom had a huge wall of windows that overlooked a pond, and it was the neatest thing because you could see out, but nothing could see in. We’d wake up in the morning and see deer drinking at the pond, and the ceiling was also made of glass so you could lay in bed and watch the stars. Magical! I also remember how his truck always smelled of cologne, and how I’d stand up next to him as he drove...one of those little things that sticks with you. Papa Baldy had a nickname for each of his grandkids. He never called us by our real names. All of us cousins sometimes call each other by the nicknames that he gave us. My Granny Nancy, though, oh my goodness…there’s not enough time in the day to talk about this woman! She was the heart of our family...hilarious, quick-witted, and could do the best curly shuffle you’ve ever seen. She loved people fiercely, always had a porch full of company, and kept us all laughing. Some of my most treasured memories are spending the night with her on Saturdays, being doused in Oil of Olay after my bath so I’d smell just like her, and then running errands all over town with her and my great-grandma on Sundays. Grocery stores, Eckerds, Motts...you name it, we were there. Those stores may be gone now, but the memories live forever in my heart.

Granny Sharry – this was my dad’s mom, and she has also passed. She lived with us for years after her cancer diagnosis so that my mom could care for her. She was always so loving and gentle, but also had a strong faith that impacted me deeply. My favorite memories with her are when we’d read the Bible together. I grew up Baptist, but she wanted to attend a Pentecostal church when she moved in, and I gladly went with her. Those Sunday services together and the talks we’d have about scripture still mean so much to me. Also, she would be on the porch when I got home from cheering at football games or hanging out with Nathan. We'd sit and talk about the Bible and what I had learned from it. I miss those talks with her! 

Mimi and PawPaw – these are my dad’s dad and stepmom, and thankfully, they’re still with us! They live in Tennessee (too far away for my liking, ha!) and I miss them so much. I’m thrilled that we’ll get to visit them in November for Thanksgiving. Growing up, we’d visit their cozy cabin-like home in Tennessee in the summer and again in the fall. Their home sat by a pond, and it always felt like the sweetest little retreat. I loved gathering around their kitchen table for meals that turned into hours of conversation. My PawPaw is an incredible musician and was part of a traveling worship band for years. Every visit, we’d beg him to pull out his guitar and play for us. He has such a gift! I often wish we lived closer so he could pass on his guitar skills to Mason.

This question has me all in my feelings today, reminiscing on the good old days with my grandparents. They were (and are) so special to me, and I’m sitting here with tears streaming, missing them something fierce. Come, Jesus, come!

Pictures of some of my Grandparents that I have in my Bible. I need to find hard copies of the others so I can add them! 

2. What's a quote from a book (besides The Bible) that has stayed with you?

If I’m being honest, I don’t really have one. I’ve read a lot of books over the years, but I don’t tend to hold onto quotes from them. My heart always leans toward the Bible and devotionals, so most of the lines that stick with me come from those. And truthfully, the verses I’ve memorized or highlighted in scripture are the ones that pop into my head when I need encouragement or wisdom.

3. What's your number one food pet peeve?

Okay, so this isn’t exactly a pet peeve, but it is something that makes me super nauseous...and that’s watching people eat meat off a bone. I just can’t handle it. The worst is at the Texas State Fair when people walk around gnawing on those massive turkey legs. I have to look away because it makes my stomach turn. No shade at all if you’re one of those turkey-leg-loving people, though! This is absolutely a “me” problem, and I fully admit it’s all in my head. lol

4. What's one thing about you that is still the same as it was when you were young?

I’d have to say my heart. I’ve always been such a sensitive soul. Even as a kid, the simplest things could make me tear up, and that hasn’t changed one bit. I still find myself crying at sweet moments in sports, welling up with joy when good things happen to people I love, and just generally feeling everything so deeply. I’ve always had a tender heart for others, and while sometimes it can feel overwhelming to feel things so strongly, I also see it as a gift. It’s how God wired me...to love, to care, to celebrate, and to weep with others.

Me on the left, my sister on the right. I had this picture handy and thought it was a good place to share it. 

5. September is National Preparedness Month...does your family have an emergency plan? Do you have some sort of preparedness kit you keep on hand? If so, tell us one thing that's kept there.

I always chuckle when I hear this question because it takes me back to the days when everyone was obsessed with “prepping” for doomsday. People would stockpile canned goods, water, and turn their basements into little underground bunkers. While we don’t have a hardcore emergency plan like that, we do have a couple of “just in case” things. Nathan has a couple of bags stocked with emergency supplies that we could grab quickly if we needed to. Other than that, we don’t have much in place. Unless you count prayer as an emergency plan...which honestly, I do.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Anyone else feel thrown off from having Monday off? I’ve been so mixed up on my days this week! Yesterday I was going about my morning routine thinking it was Monday, and I almost forgot to do my usual Tuesday orders. And then just a little bit ago I realized—wait a second—tomorrow is already Wednesday, which means I need to get this post written. Whew! Thank goodness for short weeks, though. I honestly think we’d all be happier (and maybe even more productive) if we had four-day work weeks all the time. Wouldn’t that be glorious?

And that’s a wrap on this week’s Wednesday Hodgepodge! I always enjoy answering these questions and sharing little snippets of life, memories, and quirks with y’all. Thanks for reading along with me today. Until next time, friends!

Linking up with Joyce.