One Word (from Holly’s MySpace)

Where is your cell phone?        Boyfriend/girlfriend?
Couch                                            Married

Your hair?                               Shoes?
Curly                                         Crocs

Kids?                                     Your favorite thing?
Monkey                                   Calm

Your dream last night?                Your favorite drink?
None                                                Tea

Your dream car?                         The room you’re in?
Hybrid                                           Living

How smart are you?                      Your fear?
Some                                              Bridge

Where were you last night?        What you’re not doing right now?
Home                                              Sleeping

One of your wish list items?         Where you grew up?
                                                          Sanford

The last thing you did?                  What are you wearing?
Talk                                                  Clothes

Your TV?                                         Your pet?
Big                                                     Amos 

Getaway?                                        Your Life?
Soon                                                  Good

Your mood?                                     Missing someone?
Tired                                                 Grammy

Your car?                                          Your work?
Highlander                                        Busy

Like someone?                                 Your favorite color?
Monkey                                             Blue

Last time you laughed?
Earlier

How much does he really understand?

Today I received an email from my mom. It was a forward from my Uncle’s wife. She was writing to tell what a great impact my Grammy had on her life. It was nice to see someone saying how she was a great person who always did things for others. While I do know this is true, my Grammy died when I was young and is the first recollection I have of anyone dying that I knew. The only real memories that I have of my Grammy still are from when she was already sick. We would play checkers together and watch tv (usually The Andy Griffith Show). She was big on the rules of checkers and if you had a chip that could jump another chip, you better do so. Needless to say, it would take me a long time to take my turn because I had to make sure I wasn’t missing anything that needed to be done and plan ahead for other moves. She would always fall asleep while waiting for me to take my turn. I’d have to wake her up and then she would look at the board and quickly make a move. Then she’d wait for me to go and in the mean time she would fall asleep again. I do have a few other vague memories of her and her house but that’s the one I always will remember. Playing checkers and falling asleep.

I read the email and then went along with my day as normal, but glad that someone recognizes the impact she had on their life. Then I checked my email again and my sister had replied to my mom and me regarding the previous email. As I was reading this, I began to cry. I was fine with the first email but then my sister pointed out things that just make me sad. She was a great person and it is sad that she has not been able to be here for so many things that have gone on in our lives. I know she has been there in her own way, but is just not the same. She missed our graduations, my wedding, the birth of Little Monkey and all the little things that happen just day to day or when we get together as a family.

You are probably asking yourself and what does this have to do with Little Monkey understanding? He was sitting next to me on the couch as I was reading the email. I started crying and took off my glasses. He started watching my face intently and took his hands to gently wipe away my tears. I know he doesn’t understand emotions much, but we have wiped away his tears and he remembers and did the same for me. I guess he decided I was okay and we should go on with our day because after wiping away my tears a few times, he picked up my glasses and tried to put them back on my face. This was very sweet of him and might have even been helpful except that he tried putting them on upside down! It’s the thought that counts.