I Want to Be Like my Nanny

I recently had to say goodbye to a very important person - my Nanny.

Some days, I want to think that I can still call her.  She'd say "How's little Hud?" I want to pretend she will call me the morning of my birthday. I want to keep her hot dog chili in my freezer forever and call her when I make her potato salad. She loved her white pants - and I think of her each time I wear mine. She loved Chick-fila (but called it "Chicken-fila"). She loved life.

Some people aren't close with their grandparents. They see them at holidays and get their annual pinch on the cheek. Amy and I, however, grew up extremely close to all our grandparents. Regular phone calls, cards in the mail, visits...We are so blessed and will treasure each and every moment spent with our grandparents.

My Nanny was super fun - she would sing this silly little song to Hudson about a chocolate ice cream cone. I still tear up when I hear it.

She loved to joke, be sarcastic, and decorate for every holiday. The last time I visited her house, she danced around the living room with Hudson. She could still "flat-foot" (that's a type of dance, for those of you who don't know). She would do fun little cheers from her cheerleading days. And she could always make me laugh.

She loved the little things in life. A phone call meant the world to her, especially if she could hear some Hudson gibberish. She loved mail - I could expect a card for every holiday: Valentine's Day, Easter, you name it! Pictures were proudly displayed of all her granddaughters and great grand-kids. I am so thankful I made her a photo book just about a month before she went to be with Jesus.

She was proud of her family. As I mentioned above, she loved pictures. The walls of her home and sides of her refrigerator were covered in photos of us at various ages. The coffee table always held several photo albums. She carried pictures of us with her everywhere and showed everyone she came in contact with. I hear that even at a license check one time, she told the officer she would show him her drivers license after her looked at the pictures of her grand-kids. As I stood in that receiving line at the viewing, so many people said, "I've never met you- but I feel like I know you. Your Nanny always kept us updated on your life."

Nanny loved her church. At her memorial service, the pastor described her so well. He said, "Most people spend the week trying to come up with excuses why they won't be able to make it to church. But Agnes would spend the week preparing for church." She got her hair done every Friday and ironed her clothes on Saturday. Her Bible was full of colorful bookmarks, pictures, and notes.

She didn't love clutter. Her house was always in order, even though she would claim that it was not. She never had dirty dishes in her sink (which is why I'm trying to empty my sink each night before I go to bed now). Drawers were organized. Floors were swept. And she was always ready to put the Christmas tree away as soon as we had opened gifts.

Another part of her daily routine was her time spent with the Lord. At an early age, I can remember seeing her read from this big family Bible that would sit on her coffee table. She told me, "If I read everyday, I finish the entire Bible in one year." In later years, she would do her Bible reading and Daily Bread at her kitchen table.

A few years ago, I tried a reading plan. (You can read more about that here or print a plan for yourself). This year, I'm using a One Year Bible. I've seen these Bibles. My mom even has one. But for some reason, I've always just thought I'd rather read from my study Bible. This year, I picked up a One Year Bible (like this) to guide my reading, and I am really enjoying it.

Each day, I simply open up to the date - They have already put together a passage from the Old Testament, a passage from the New Testament, a Psalm and something from Proverbs. It's easy to read, knowing that they have already put together the "assignment" for each day. There's less flipping from passage to passage. I am able to read the passages in about 15 minutes. I keep a notebook nearby to write down verses that I'd like to further study in my study Bible. And I love that I was able to get this in the New Living Translation - it's my favorite! I was afraid that it would seem disconnected. I was afraid I would have a hard time keeping track of where in the Bible I was reading from, but that isn't the case. I may not use this Bible every year, but for now, I am really enjoying the journey that it is taking me on.

For my bookmark, I use a picture of Nanny and myself.

She lived life to the fullest right up until the very end. She kept her priorities. She loved life. She loved her family and she loved the Lord. I want the same to be said of me. I want to be like my Nanny. 

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