Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Take Me Back Tuesday

Welcome to this week's edition of Take Me Back Tuesday, hosted weekly by A Giveaway Addicted Mommy. Run on over and check her out and see others participating in this meme.



The McDonald Grandchildren...Christmas, 1970


My submission for today is a picture of my cousins, my sisters and me taken at Maw McDonald's house during Christmas, 1970. Pictured left to right on back row are my sister Debra (age 10), cousin Roger (age 9), ME (age 13), my sister Charlotte (age 11); left to right on front row are cousin Wade (age 5-Roger's brother), cousin Terry (age 2-Roger and Wade's brother) and cousin Randy (age 4). This would have been our fifth Christmas after my Paw McDonald passed away on June 30, 1966.


Maw McDonald didn't have much, but she always bought each of her family members some small gift for Christmas. This continued until her last Christmas on this earth. She was hospitalized during Christmas, 1994. She gave me instructions about what to do and told me to talk to Momma about getting the money from her checking account to pay for it. She instructed me to buy every member of the family a gift certificate from our local Wal Mart and told me how much to spend.


I purchased the gift certificates and passed them out to my aunts to pass on to their families at their Christmas gatherings. I told Maw I would bring our families' with us to the hospital when we visited on Christmas night and she could give them out. I did so and it made her so happy to be able to give them to us, especially her great-grandchildren. Terry and I used ours to purchase our very first church for our Christmas village. Every year when I put out my Christmas village, I think of Maw McDonald and how much she loved us.

I miss you Maw, I always will. You are one of my heroes. I will always love you.


18 comments:

Unknown said...

Girl you now how I feel about my OWN grandmother so I can relate! Like you I felt SO loved and there are still times I wish I could just snuggle up next to her and let her wrap her arms around me. She is my example of what grandmothers are all about! I take my own job as GIGI very seriously! I want those kids to look back at their childhood the way I do my own!

After your latest comment on my blog, I couldn't help but think,
"Even if circumstances prevented you from moving here, you should try and plan a little road trip to North Texas!"

I know a great church to go to on Sunday morning!
Wink, wink
Connie

Word verification:
CHARMINS

I am not making this up!

Constance said...

GRRR! This is beginning to happen more and more here lately. Charles is the last one up at night and when he signs into his GOOGLE account it stays on. In the AM when I get on the computer, I don't pay attention to it becasue he hasn't done that in the past. After graduation, he'll be getting his own laptop for college and I guess I won't have this issue anymore.
Connie

Constance said...

I "plumb" forgot:
Stop by my genealogy blog, I have some old pictures posted and a lengthy entry on my mom.
Connie

Denise said...

What wonderful memories. I never got to spend Christmas with cousins & extended family as a child. Your Maw looks like a wonderful woman.

The Raggedy Girl said...

You made me cry...

The Raggedy Girl

donna said...

I didn't know my paternal grandmother and only saw my maternal grandmother about ten times in my whole life...my own daughters never knew their grandparents...all but one passed before they were born and the only one they did have access to died when they were very little so they don't remember her.....it is one reason why I absolutely do everything I can to be an activee part of little vera's life....and hope to for a very long time.....

Pat said...

What a precious memory for you, I wish I had the same. I never got the joy of getting to know my grandmothers, from what I can tell, I missed a lot.
Your heart is full of so much family love, it just spills over to the rests of us..what a joy!

Kari @ A Giveaway Addicted Mommy said...

That is such a beautiful picture and a equally beautiful story. It made my heart smile.

Thanks for participating - Last week I think your link was wrong and I tried to fix it but it didn't work. I am thrilled to be here this week!

Anonymous said...

aww that pix of the cryinkg child is sooo sweet, bitter sweet, but great picture!

Jennifer said...

Beautiful photographs and such a loving tribute to your grandmother. Thank you for sharing these precious memories.

Unknown said...

What a beautiful story and picture. Very nice tribute to Maw!

Samantha said...

Such a sweet tribute and picture of Maw McDonald. I love the picture of all of you, just precious !
Love you !

Trish said...

What a generous soul! Maw McDonald
was a special lady...a giver. You are blessed to have had her in your life. I so enjoy these photo's from the past...priceless!
Love,
trish

Mrs. Mac said...

Your grandma was such a giving person. She has put others first and cared more about their happiness.
What a blessing to have been her granddaughter! I miss my grandmas too!! Great memory.

Melanie @ Whimsical Creations said...

What special memories! Sounds like she was a great woman.

Vickie said...

Nice tribute to your Maw:) Thank you for sharing your memories of her.

Crown of Beauty said...

Hi, Diane,
This was such a nice post, and the picture of you and your sisters at a young age was simply heartwarming.

What a great tribute to the selflessness of your Maw!

Blessings on you today, dear Diane!

Heidi Pocketbook said...

This is a wonderful post, Diane.