My Mawmaw, Peggy Haynes was a very special lady. She didn't have any enemies and spoke evil words about no one. She was the most Christ-like human I ever knew. She loved life and everyone in it. She cared about people and gave generously. She had so many friends from so many walks of life and made each of them feel like the most special person. Many of my childhood friends called her"Mawmaw" because she treated them like her own grandchild. I always knew my grandparents loved me and spent a lot of time with me but it wasn't until I was older when I realized how truly blessed I was to have my Mawmaw and Pop. Many people say they have the best grandparents, but Josh and I really did have the best. Here are some of my greatest memories of her...some sweet and some funny.
- Spending the night at their house and she always cooked me my favorite: bacon, egg, and cheese on toast. She even cooked me one if she was cooking something else for Pop. Yeah, I know she spoiled me.
- She would scratch my back and rub my head a lot, and I never returned the favor.
- I loved baking with her. She was always so patient with me. We would bake at her house, especially at Christmas time. She worked until 11 at night with the Forestry Commission and I would go with her and we would bake while she worked since no one was there. We even baked together this past Christmas when I used condensed milk instead of evaporated on the fudge and we had to start over. She just laughed.
- I can't leave out the drive by peach milkshakes from Hardee's she would deliver after getting off work at 11. She would cut her lights off on her car and Josh and I would sneak out the door to get them.
- She would find the switches and break all of them thinking we wouldn't get whooped. Dad busted her on that!
- If we were ever told we would get a whoopin while she was at our house she would stay as long as she could thinking my parents would forget all about it.
- All the vacations they took us on are great memories: Disney World, the Keys, Everglades, out West twice to places like Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Royal Gorge, to the beach, many North Carolina trips to see family.
- She never failed to tell me how proud she was of me: my grades, sports, marrying Walter, getting 2 degrees, being a mother, my job. I wouldn't have my masters degree if it weren't for her and Pop encouraging me and telling me they wanted to pay for me to go back to school.
- She would always have something for David, Dillan, and Daniel. It might be Yoohoos, cheese balls, marshmallows, etc.
- Looking at Christmas lights will not be the same without her.
- She never would ask me to do something for her. Instead it would go something like this: "Toot, you want something to drink?" I would reply "no thanks." She would sit for a second and say "a diet coke sure would be good." We called these Mawmaw hints and I never let her slide by with one without picking on her.
- She would call the house and leave a message saying "she didn't need anything. Just calling to check on us."
- She and Pop bought Josh and me diapers when we were babies. When our 3 came along she said she wanted to continue for us. We never had to buy diapers thanks to them.
- They also taught me to drive way before the age of 15 and bought me my first car.
- She made me my own make up bag when I was little, let me put it on myself, and then let me wear it to church! Only a cool grandma would let you go to church looking like a clown because she didn't want to tell you no. Mom wasn't too happy with this.
As you can see, I did have the very best grandparents and I am thankful God gives me the ability to notice how blessed I am. Pop has been missed for a little over a year now and Mawmaw will be sorely missed too.
I feel like Mawmaw wouldn't want me to end this without asking you do you know The Lord? Have you asked Him into your life? If not, don't wait. He loves all of us and will always be with you. Trust in him with all your heart and with all of your soul. I am promised to see my Mawmaw and Pop again one day.
In closing here is a poem I wrote the night before Mawmaw's funeral visitation.
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