National Grandparents Day

Today is National Grandparents Day. Carol and I have many fond memories of our grandparents.

My mothers parents Cleonis Colinette and Clotilde Marie Cleda lived in Rosée, Belgium. World War II literally happened in their front yard. Cleonis (aka CoCo) was a train conductor for many years.  Clotilde (aka Bobonne) was a homemaker. They had a very small house across the street from a dairy farm. I remember staying in their small house when Mom & Dad took my brother and I to see them in 1954. I can remember going across the street to the dairy farm to get our daily milk. This photo was taken in 1954 and is a shot of them in front of their house. My mother is in the middle. The last time I saw Coco and Bobonne was in 1954.

It was hard on them knowing their daughter (my mom) and us boys literally lived on the other side of the world. We would get care packages from them several times during the year. They always included gifts of some kind for my brother and I. Coco was a wood-carver and enjoyed making thing. In this photo, you will see a wind mill and  a wishing well.

I cherished these items for many years as they always reminded me of my maternal grandfather. When we cleaned out the house in preparation for full-time RVing, I gave the windmill to my youngest grandson Jason, and the wishing well to my oldest Grandson Gage.

Here are my grandson’s with their gift from their great-great-grandfather by way of their grandfather.

Here are my paternal Grandparents, Carl and Hanna Carlson Pearson. They lived in Elroy, TX just south of Austin. Their house still stands today. Also standing on the property is a water well, chicken coop, outhouse and blacksmith shop. The blacksmith shop is now a feed store.

I do not recall the occasion for this photo but I would guess the photo was taken in the 1930s’s. Grandpa was a blacksmith. He expanded the business to a service station that sold gas and oil. I remember the gas pump in front of the Blacksmith Shop was one that you would pump gas into a glass bowl that sat atop the pump, then the gas would gravity feed into the car. Grandma was a homemaker.  She was an excellent cook who knew how to take care of their chickens and small garden. When we stayed with them, I remember helping her take full meal lunches to the blacksmith shop each day at noon. Fond memories come back to life when I watch reruns of the  Walton’s TV show. My dad and JohnBoy had similar personalities. My brother has several tools from Grandpa’s blacksmith shop plus he has a plow wheel my Grandfather made that sat on the top of the blacksmith shop. Here is a painting of the blacksmith shop the way I remember it.

Here is a photo of Carol’s maternal Grandparents Bill and Blanche Barrett. They lived in Giddings, Tx. They owned and operated Barrett’s Beauty Shop for over 40 years. The last location was on Main Street (HighWay 290). Carol knew them as Mama”B” and Granddad.

This is Carol’s story:

Many of my childhood memories centered around their home in Giddings. Mama”B” was a faithful follower of Jesus and I know she prayed regularly for her family – me included. When I was in 6th grade, I lived with them and my twin aunts, Linda and Glenda, because of financial difficulties in my family. Mama”B” showed me such love and grace that I began to understand the love Jesus had for me. I had accepted Him as my Savior several years before but did not really understand how unconditionally He loved me until that year.

Granddad was a loving, caring man. When he was in his 60’s, he accepted Jesus and became a zealous believer, telling everyone about Jesus. Granddad began to visit the local nursing home and became involved with Sunday Worship services there. In the short few years before his untimely death, he touch many people including Jerry.

Back to me now.  I met Mama”B” and Granddad Bill when Carol and I dated. I can recall several conversations with Mama”B” about my spiritual condition. She helped me understand the difference between a personal and corporate relationship with Jesus. The change in Granddad Bill’s life after he accepted Jesus as his personal Savior was significant. This change was the catalyst to my accepting Jesus as my personal Savior in 1972.

When we step into a Cracker Barrel Restaurant, we see many photos on the wall similar to the one below.  Those photos really belong in someone’s home, not in a restaurant. Most of us have grandparents who are still living, some of us are grandparents now, and some will become grandparents in the future. Today, take a moment to reflect on your grandparents. I certainly hope and pray that you have been blessed by your grandparents as Carol and I have been by our grandparents.

By the way, this is an engagement photo of my paternal grandparents, Carl and Hanna Pearson. You won’t find it in a Cracker Barrel Restaurant.

Thanks for stopping by. Y’all come back now.