(Mala)Props to her!

My late mother was the queen of malapropisms. The most memorable, perhaps, was at my ninth (and only) birthday party. We had the games, and I had blown out the candles and it was time to cut the cake. I know Laurie remembers this, Momma said, "I'll take the cake out of the candles..." I don't know how many laughs we shared over the years about that one. There were many other malapropisms over the years with Momma. Those years went by too fast and were far too few.

This isn't just about her though. Juli is carrying on a fine family tradition of malapropisms. Her most outstanding one(so far), occurred on the way to the doctor's office recently. We both ended up near tears from laughing. We were discussing the changes in the law regarding young drivers. (I can't believe she's been driving two years now.) I mentioned the death of several teens not long ago, because of suspected cell phone use while driving. She intended to tell me if her cell phone rang, she pulled off the road to take the call. What she said was, "I pull over to DRIVE". Oh, the shared laughs with my daughter are the most precious!
Moments like this just make me realize how fast time slips away. Momma's gone 11 years now. Juli only got to enjoy her for such a short time, but what an impact her love had on my baby girl. I am so glad my baby got to know the truly unconditional love of a grandma. Heaven knows, her other grandmother was jaded by having so many grandchildren, she never really shared the bond with Juli. More so perhaps, due to the fact that they never expected Ralph to parent any children, and never gave him credit as a father. His family seemed to assume they had to parent her for him, which only damaged his and Juli's bond more.
Juli clings to memories of the grandma that truly loved no matter what. I want Juli to know that kind of love her whole life long. Whether it be from me, or friends, or who ever turns out to be "Mr. Right". (I have suspicions that God has made His plans somewhat known about that.) My little writer is wise beyond her years about what love is and should be. She is the brightest amalgam of strength and frailty, joy and sorrow, love and life. She has an old soul, with the strength that kept her Grandma "Creepie" alive for twenty two years longer than her Spiritualist Minister grandfather predicted.
Juli loved her Grandma with the same passion that Grandma loved her. Whether she was Grandma Streby, "Creepie", "Stumpy" (after her leg was amputated), or Grandma Conehead, she was most importantly, Juli''s Grandma!

In memory of Martha Jessamine Fosnaugh Hile Streby,
4/30/1926 to 5/6/1998.