The year is 2000, and we have just heard the news that we are having our second grandson, John Marc. Taylor is a year old, and we are ecstatic for another little boy to love on. Skip forward to the now time and said little boy is graduating from Mississippi State. I have a vivid memory of staying overnight with them when he was a few days old to give them a break and some sleep. We just laid down on the couch and cuddled and slept most of the night until his mama woke us afraid something was wrong because he had slept through the night. This will be our first college grad with his cousin Taylor following shortly.
Now the year is 2004. It takes me a few weeks realize we are having triplets! Jacob, our first, was born in September; Thomas, the second, born in November; and Sam, the baby of the three, born in December. Three little boys all the same age growing up together, and a Meme and a Pawpaw ready to help and spoil with too much attention and so much love.
Now the time is NOW! The three triplets are graduating in just a few days. HOW? Did I sleep through the past 18 years? I surely cannot remember this much time passing. The first Christmas for these three was at the age of 3 months old, 2 months old and 15 days old, and they were all dressed in little red Santa suits laying in the floor on a quilt. Already at this age you could see that their personalities were different.
Jacob has been and is our quiet one, keeps everything to himself and just does his own thing. Thomas is a carbon copy of his dad. They are both just "out there" and love to mingle and have a good time no matter where they are. Sam lost his daddy when he was 12 days old but was too young for this to have an impact on his personality. He has always been the “Lone Ranger,” following to the beat of his own drum and wanting to be different from the norm. The one thing that they definitely have common is they have the hearts of this Meme and Pawpaw, and to us they are perfect.
Two of them plan to go to Mississippi State and one to begin at Holmes. It's going to be a change with two of them away for weeks at the time, and I'm not sure my heart can adjust to this big adjustment. I realize things change, time moves on, grandchildren grow up, (but so so fast?), and we reconcile ourselves to the differences over time. I used to tell them all, “I wish I could just squeeze you tight and you would stay little.” That didn't happen; they grew into fine young men.
Sometimes it seems that God knew we were all not ready for the separation that we were about to live through so he sent us one more “little,” Emmie Jo. And, I am asking Him to please slow down her “little” years and to help me appreciate the growing up years even more than I already have.
If you have been asked to help with a senior party or if you are in charge of one, this is a really good thing to make.
Chicken Wings
1/3 cup of flour
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
black pepper and salt
3 tablespoons butter
10 chicken wings
(You can adjust this recipe for more.)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and dot with butter. Combine all dry ingredients and coat bot sides of wings. Bake for 30 minutes and turn and bake another 15 minutes. Serve with favorite dipping sauce. (We like Ranch, barbecue and salsa.)
