9.5.10

Where'd you get that smile?

Recently it has come to my attention that my gramma on my mom's side has been reading my blog.  I think my grandma on my dad's side does too sometimes and it makes me so happy to know that they do come here to see what I am up to from time to time.  Neither of my grandmas blog, (which I think would be awesome by the way, though I think they may be on facebook) but they are both writing books about their lives.  Whenever I spend time with them I make sure we find some time for them to tell me stories.  Anything.  Just tell me about what things were like before you were married, before you were moms.  What was Grandpa like when you met him?  How did he ask you to marry him?

These pictures are of my gramma, my mom's mom.  Her story is so tragic yet beautiful and romantic.  She was born during the Blitz in England, and while she was young, her father, an english soldier, was killed in WWII. When she was about 8, her mother fell in love with an American soldier who was fighting in England and who promptly shipped the two of them back to the states on the Queen Mary where he and she proceeded to have three more daughters on their farm in Idaho.  As soon as my gramma was old enough, she got a job as a waitress in a coffee shop.  At 15, while still in high school, she met my handsome grandpa.  She was his waitress.  The way he tells it, as soon as he saw her, he told his buddy, "See that girl? I am going to marry her." His friend was like, "Ya right man!  Good luck!"  But very soon after, he did (he is lucky she was into devilishly handsome men!) and a year later she became pregnant with my mom.  This was during her senior year of high school and although she maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point average and was rightfully Valedictorian of her class, the school would not grant it to her since she was already married and with a child. My grandparents struggled some hard times in the beginning, but nearly 53 years later, they are still madly in love with each other.

My other Grandma's story is equally intriguing. I can't wait to see both of them again.  I love to hear about what it was like when my parents where my son's age. The bottom two pictures show my mom at about 4 or 5.  She looks like a spitting image of my son.  And I can see my sideways smile in the second picture down on my gramma's face.  I love these pictures so much!

Happy Mother's Day Grandmas and Moms! (Thank you for giving these to me Gamma! I love you!)

13 comments:

Kimberellie said...

Yes, handsome he is! And your gramma, beautiful! What good looking people you come from! So nice to get to hear all those stories! Thank you for sharing this one! LOVED it. I love happy stories! esp. happy love stories. :-D

tess said...

wow those are fascinating stories! I cannot believe she was awarded her diploma, that sucks, but clearly maintaining a marriage for 53 years is a true feat

Anonymous said...

Way to go for the pretty waitress!

My Grandparents on my Mom's side met in a queue. :-)

Kayla said...

Those old pictures are so amazing. I wish I had some of my family like that.

http://ramblingofasmalltowngirl.blogspot.com/

Alyssa said...

Wow... what fantastic stories. The pictures are great, too—my favorite is the little girl with her hair in curlers. :) I think it's great that you're interested in your grandparents' stories—I'm interested in mine, too, and I think it's sad when people don't pay their grandparents much attention!

:]

Morgan and Lua said...

Amazing. I love hearing about family history and looking through all the old photos. There's something something so intriguing about hearing where your family came from and what their lives were like before you were invented.

Happy Mother's Day to you!!!!
www.morganandlua.blogspot.com

Alice In Fashionland said...

Awww, those pictures are beautiful! I really enjoyed that story, hope you have a happy mother's day!

Melanie said...

Aww that's such a cute story!
My grandma got pregnant with my aunt in high school, and SHE was the valedictorian of her class, too! And that her child went on to become valedictorian of HER class.

getting pregnant in high school was pretty big back then.

Seval said...

Hey Christina! First of all, thanks a lot for your lovely comment! I felt so happy when I saw it this morning! Thank you!

And thanks for sharing this... Well, I'm very happy to know that there are those marriages in the world that goes forever... I wiish the same for your marriage...

My side, it's much more complicated... I don't know the story of my grandparents but my father fell in love with my mom at first sight... He wanted to introduce himself but my mom wasn't interested... Then he took her arm and said "girl, I'm serious, I'm gonna marry you!" well, that's the moment my mom fell in love with my father :D

Lindsay said...

I love these pictures! It is great that you take the time to ask questions of the women in your lives. So often do we think there will be time for such things and just never ask until it is too late.

http://minimalinfluence.blogspot.com/

A said...

wow.. what gems. These photos are incredible.... you are so lucky to house such history.
Happy Mothers Day to you as well beauty.... Hope the days was full of love and laughter.
x
Amy
refusestolabel.blogspot.com

Alexandra said...

Such a wonderful story! I love old pictures.

miss teacups said...

awww, wow!! what a beautiful story. it would make a lovely movie. i love love love looking at old photos, do you have anymore? the very last one is my favourite; so adorable.

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