Hayden Grace Photography

Have you ever stopped and smelled the roses, and a flood of memories overpowers you? The other night I was at work and I realized that the smell of original chapstick always reminds me of my grandma, “Gram”. I took a moment to reflect on the things that subconsciously remind me of her: a green clinique compact, rose water, delicate china tea cups, old dusty books any piece of vintage jewelery….the list goes on and on.
Recently, I have been reflecting family dynamics and how they change over time. People move, get married and have children and sooner or later, a weekly dinner becomes replaced by only seeing someone you hold dear once or twice a year. My husband and I love our families and hold our traditions and heritage very close to our hearts, perhaps more than the average young couple. We cherish the moments we get to spend with family hearing stories, sharing recipes and laughing over family photos. Some may call us old fashioned, but we tend to take that as a compliment
I attempt to see my family as much as I can and try to take the time to express my love and appreciation for them, but sometimes, it takes a random blog post to truly reveal how I feel and how much they all mean to me. So to start these toasts off, I give you my grandmother. She is the backbone of my family. She tells you how she feels and what she thinks, without beating around the bush, which is rare to find. She is such an example of what a Godly woman should be: an incredible prayer warrior who is devoted to the Word of God. She cherishes her family and whenver we tell her we are blessed to have her, she immediately corrects us and tells us that she is blessed to have us . Gram is never too busy for anyone, whether your family or a complete stranger. I am truly blessed to have her in my life and I am proud to call her my “Gram”.