Gammy

Where do I begin to share about the most special and influential person in my life?

Gammy was there from the very beginning. She has been the steadfast person in my life that has loved me and tenderly taken care of me. She was my happy place. She was my person that knew my heart and that I could share anything with. 

Walking into her home, you were greeted with joy! “Hey Shugga, it’s so good to see you!”…followed by a big hug. 

She is in all of my memories. Happy times playing at her house, magical times around the Christmas tree, reading storybooks at bedtime, always cooking and effortless entertaining. She made a decadent chocolate cake and the best fried shrimp you have ever tasted.  She took care of people. Not only was she this person to her family, she was this way to everyone she was around. Our friends, members in our community, the people at the post office, the seafood man, waitresses at restaurants were all recipients of her unequivocal kindness. 

She had a passion for genealogy and spent much of her time recording facts and memories of family members past so that their life would be recorded for future generations. 

She loved the beach! I have the best memories of times at the beach with Gammy. She of course took care of all the food and meals, always thinking about what everyone would enjoy. The beach was a peaceful place for her. We would often play games of Scrabble around the  table. She didn’t care about winning but wanted to make a good board where the words were spread out.

She had a green thumb and was an incredible gardener in her prime. Her flower beds flourished with bright colors and butterflies and hummingbirds. The day lilies, hydrangeas and camellias surrounded her home. She loved to watch the birds out the window of her kitchen. In the last couple of years Gammy and I were lucky to spot a few orioles that were traveling through. What lucky birds to end up in her yard were they were treated to oranges and grape jelly. She even spoiled and took care of the birds like she did her family. 

When my parents divorced when I was in the third grade, we moved to Greenville. Gammy filled in so many gaps with her love for me and my brother. She picked us up from school everyday and would take me to dance class, or I would sit in my kitchen and she would help me with my english homework. She was always there for me to talk to. She was such a good listener. When I was dating my husband, we would often spend time with my grandparents because they were my favorite people and I wanted him to know them like I did. She loved David and loved that he loved me. 

She loved Jesus. This was obvious in her life by the way she loved people. She would meet that person right where they were and love them. She had that special gift of being easy to talk to. She wasn’t judgmental but safe and people just seemed to open up and share things with her. 

We have countless cards, letters, and books with notes in the front that she has written. She was always very intentional with her words. She was affirming of her love for us and always reminded us that God loved us. I am so thankful for the children’s books she wrote in that I read with my boys with her notes inside. I am thankful they had to opportunity to know her and be recipients of her amazing love. 

She knew she was getting older. She knew her time on this earth was limited, but she without a doubt knew she would be spending eternity with Jesus. 

God gave me a sweet gift on Thursday when he allowed me to be with her one more time. I was able to look in her eyes and hold her hand. I told her how much I loved her and she told me she loved me. I felt the Holy Spirit tell me to pray. As I prayed over her and held her hand I thanked God for how she has loved us all so well. At the end of the prayer God had taken her home. 

Mom found this verse marked in Gammy’s Bible with a slip of paper that said “For Elizabeth”…

I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

my Papa

" I am Louis Snellgrove," were the last words he said on this earth but I believe the first he said as he entered heaven while he held his nurse's hand Tuesday .

I realize what a blessing I have had to have my grandparents be an active part of my life and my boys' life as long as they have.

I have taken beach trips with them since I was a very little girl. Papa even rode waves with us when we were kids and we played some fun scrabble games as we got older.

Papa would play store with me. They collected empty boxes of cereal, crackers really any empty packaging and we would set up a store in his room for me to pretend to shop with my babies. He made my very own American girl doll furniture from his workshop one year for Christmas. I loved to help him shine his shoes for work.

He would always read to me books...lots of books. My favorite were Pollyanna and Heidi that had a home on a shelf in his room. Another favorite book was a vintage Prissy Misses book....I can just hear  him now saying "not a very pretty name, do you think?" Loved the time he spent reading to me.

I would pick out his tie pins he would wear to work when we were visiting in Greenville.

Speaking of work, he practiced as an optometrist in Greenville until he was 80 years old and retired. Everyone knew Dr. Snellgrove and I was always proud to be Dr. Snellgrove's granddaughter. He was a kind doctor always being thorough and taking his time with his patients. I know there were occasions that if someone could not pay for glasses he would be sure they were taken care of. He was an active member of the Kiwanis Club and Gideons for years.

Papa was a smart man, always reading books and newspapers, magazines. He never quit learning. Even after he retired he continued to go to local optometrist meetings with Dr. Gardner.

But the times that were some of my favorite, were those everyday moments. When he came home from work and we asked if the "rats won". He would sit at the kitchen table and work on his cases from work while I did homework.

Our family's favorite times happen around the dinner table on the porch. Sharing stories and laughing together. That is just the best. I loved to hear about him going to school in Chicago, living in San Antonio or New York City with Gammy as newlyweds. He checked General McArthur's eyes while being an optometrist in the Army. He took my mom and uncle on some amazing trips during their childhood.

Another priceless gift he gave us is a collection of handwritten stories that begin as kid selling peanuts and end as an eye doctor practicing medicine. What a true treasure he gave us.

But maybe my favorite part of my papa was how he listened. He truly listened. He was not quick to answer but thoughtful of a response if you asked for his advice. He was a humble man. I had so much respect for him and love that my husband knew him the past 18 years. We would go over to my grandparents house when we were in high school and just spend time with them. I wanted him to know them how I did. I love that each my boys got to meet him.

He was so good to my babies. They would always talk to him and smile and laugh. He got to tell Owen about his geode collection on the porch.

Papa was thoughtful in writing letters to us when we would go through tough or lonely seasons. Always encouraging and reminding us that we were loved and God loved us.

A verse I pray over my sons is Micah 6:8.
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and walk humbly with your God.

I believe that my papa did this and am so grateful for the love and the time he poured into each of us. We will miss him but look forward to the day we see him in Heaven.

Grandmama

Sawyer Henley Johnson was born January 30, 2017. I could not wait for my grandmama to be able to meet and hold her namesake.

(Grandmama meeting Sawyer Henley Johnson)

I spent a lot of my childhood with my grandparents. Grandmama would be the one to pick me up from school and take me to dance. I played in the Japanese Magnolia tree in her backyard and picked countless flowers that surrounded her house. She was the one who inspired me to learn to cook. I vividly remember walking in her backdoor and hearing the sound of peas cooking in a pot rattling on the stove and how hot cornbread looked and smelled coming out of the cast-iron skillet. She not only taught me how to cook but how to cook from the heart. She was always making food to share or take to others. It's what southern women do. We like to feed people. She was a great hostess. Whether she was hosting Thanksgiving dinner, hosting garden club or just welcoming a guest that entered her home...they were going to be offered something to eat or drink.

(Grandmama on the far left)

She loved the outdoors. She and Pop enjoyed being outside whether they were fishing or turkey hunting in her younger days, they both had a love and appreciation for God's creation. They worked with their hands and had an incredible vegetable garden. She would put up food and share with friends and neighbors. Her yard was it's own magical place. She had quite the green thumb and grew beautiful roses amongst other flowers such as day lilies, gerber daisies, azaleas, daisies, camellias, and hydrangeas just to name a few. I remember the smell and warmth of going in her green house with her and the many plants that lined the shelves. She and Pop composted and had the richest dirt...also a great place to find earthworms to fish with. 

(me pictured on her back steps with the roses they grew)

I have fond memories of playing baby dolls at her house. We would also go downtown to Ms. Eloise's gift shop and she would let me pick out a new baby doll. I liked being a little mother even then... little did I know I would have 4 boys of my own one day.  She helped me learn my Bible verses for Awana. She and Pop exhibited a Christian marriage and David and I were happy to share an anniversary with them.

But I think the biggest takeaway was how she led her life. She was a believer and had great faith in God. She was a strong woman and I believe her strength came from the Lord. That is how she loved like she did, gave generously with her time and energy and persevered through hard times. She loved us all so well.

She delighted in her family. Her sons were her heart. And her grandchildren and great grandsons brought her great joy.

I am going to miss her dearly, but I know I will see her again...until then, she is with me every time I pull that hot skillet of cornbread out of the oven, when I set the table for Thanksgiving or place a beautiful rose from my rosebush in a vase. She taught me how to love those around me well, without ever giving me a lesson.

(Christmas 2016 with Dad, Reid, Collin, my husband David, me, Grandmama and Owen)

Sawyer's birth story

In doctor's visits leading up to his arrival, Sawyer continued to show up in breech position. My other babies had performed similar tricks but always turning around 36 weeks. I hoped and prayed this 4th baby would follow suit. At 38 weeks my doctor suggested we try doing a version and turn him head down. David and I went to Labor and deliver at the hospital. They started an IV and after the 4th attempt, they finally got one going. Dr. Henderson and Dr. Diegman came in and Henderson placed his hands on my belly turning you head down. It wasn't that difficult to turn you and we were all thrilled it had worked. I started texting everyone that had been praying for the morning. They monitor you for the next 2 hours and in that time I could feel you moving. And then I felt that familiar feeling, your little head under my right ribs. I knew you had turned back. They called Dr. Henderson back and he actually attempted a version again. Successfully turning you head down. And guess what? you moved back to your happy place. We gave two good attempts and you just wanted to stay where you were happiest. We left the hospital that day thinking we would likely be scheduling a C-section, trying to turn you again, or you could flip on your own since you could clearly move so freely.

That next week I felt like I was running out of time. We had scheduled a time to be admitted at 39 weeks and 2 days we would come back to the hospital for you to have your birth day. 

I wanted to give you time. All of your brothers went past their due date, so I didn't want to rush you, but knew if you got too much bigger they might have a hard time completing the version. I tried different yoga positions, spinning babies positions of leaning down on my elbows trying to get you to move. I even went to the chiropractor for him to try the Webster technique. I would have tried anything. 

We prepared to leave your brothers with Meme and went up to the hospital around 7 a.m. on January 30th, 2017. We got to our room and met our nurse Jamie. She was great. She knew I didn't want a C-section but was prepared to get me through anything with a good experience. She had a great attitude and just kept saying it was going to be a good day. Dr. Henderson came in and they popped the ultrasound on and you were head down! We were shocked. We decided to go forward with things and since we were inducing, I was going to go ahead and get my epidural. I did feel some movement from you. When Dr. Henderson came back you had turned again and there you were breech. No one could believe that you could move around that much this late in the game. 

So there we were with the original plan. Try a version. Dr. Henderson had his partner Diegman there and Henderson turned you and Diegman held you in place when you got head down. They broke my water and we hoped that would be enough to make you stay head down and we could progress from there. Due to the epidural or my position, I started to vagal...almost passing out and turned pale on everyone. But my nurse was on it and gave me some medicine to help me from blacking out. Diegman was on the left side as he kept holding you in place trying to give you plenty of time to stay put. He has been doing this probably 60 years and has so much experience and is quite the character. I was glad he was there this day. When he took his hands off you stayed in your place and they started the pitocin and increased it to my contractions stronger to push your head down. The next few hours, I laid on one side or the other and in a sitting position trying to get you moving down. I prayed constantly for you. I prayed that you didn't move, and that your head would stay down and that I could progress and be about to give birth to you like I desired. They prayer was all I could do and think about. Thankfully you did and you were born after 2 contractions and 5 pushes at 3:48 pm.

You were immediately placed on my chest. Daddy cut the cord. Everyone was relieved and thrilled you were here! They wiped you off some, but you never left my chest for the next hour. You were able to nurse and we really bonded during this special time.

The big brothers came up and were so very excited to see you and hold you. They had eagerly anticipated your arrival. Meme and Granddaddy were both there too to meet you. We had you all to ourself for the first two hours of your life. Then the nurses came and weighed and measured you and took you to the nursery for bath and assessments. But you were perfect. So perfect. So thankful for your precious life. 

Trick or Treat