Memories of the way we were

I took a trip down memory lane this weekend with a family I have known for almost 29 years. I was actually their babysitter when I was 11 years old. (you do the math to see how old I am. (OLD)

This trip might be a long one so get ready.

When I started babysitting for the H's they had two of the most beautiful girls, C who was 2 and T who was 2 months. I loved watching them. We had so much fun. Then two years later came R. Mama H was afraid to tell me she was pregnant in that I would quit babysitting. Boy was she wrong.

I remember getting off the bus from school and Mama H would stand at the end of her drive way and yell down the street at me to see if I could come watch the girls while she ran to the store. My answer was always the same, let me put my books down, call my mom to tell her I'm home and I'll be right there.

Mama H always had a blue pitcher filled with apple juice and a snack waiting for me. (She still has that blue pitcher) She would leave and the girls and I would play and color. They all still say to this day that I am the one responsible for them being so creative.

This is the family that when they moved out of our neighborhood, I still babysat for. I was there for all of the big things. Buying new cars, going to kindergarten, high school graduations, college graduations, weddings and now baby showers.

This is the family that my family moved in with for two weeks during Hurricane Rita. They graciously took all four of us in. I must say that while these two weeks were so stressful for me, it turned out to be the best two weeks of my life. Mama H and Hubs were like two kids in a candy store watching the Astros go for the world series that year. R7 and Hubs even managed to go see a game. Papa H made sure we had access to all the internet we needed to keep us updated on what was going on at home.

They did every thing they could to make us feel as if we were at home. I can never thank them enough for all they did for us during this time. I have learned from Mama H that you can do anything for a short amount of time. ANYTHING.

C, the oldest daughter is having her second child in a few weeks. She graduated from Texas A&M, as a veterinarian! Now she is a terrific mom. I remember sitting on their living room floor while she watched cartoons and let me brush her long blond hair and going to Baton Rouge to see Harry Connick Jr. I am proud of her.

T, the middle one, I just love to pieces. She has a daughter who is just like her! The apple sure didn't fall far from the tree. Her daughter, L is adorable. T is a great elementary school teacher. And a great mom. I loved hanging out with her this weekend. I couldn't believe she remember so much of the things we used to do. Two things that stick out in my mind about T was the time she drank a coke while I was babysitting and she ran around the coffee table screaming "dodo" at the top of her lungs for about and hour. The next time was when her mom told her to eat her corn and she said she didn't want it and Mama H told her to eat it any way. So she did and then turned around in her chair and threw it up! That's my T!

R, the baby, will for ever be my "nanners fanners" She is in a league all her own. She is the only one with no kids. She just gets to spoil her sisters children. She does a great job of that. There are so many things I remember about her. Like the time she rode her tricycle to my house. She knocked on the door and said, "Mr. S can I come to your house and pester you?" Or how she would always yell from the bath room that she was finished poo-pooing. (YUK) Or how her cousin knocked out one of her front baby teeth with a baseball and she had a missing tooth for years, years I tell you.

I love this family. They all mean the world to me. I am so very thankful they have been a part of my life. They were there when I had all the bad boyfriends. When my parents got divorced. When I moved away to Southeast Texas. When I meet future Hubs. When we got married. When we had our boys. They have been there for it all.

So to Papa H, Mama H, C,T, and R....I love you all and thanks for the precious memories. I can't wait to make some more.

P.S.
Mama H, I have dibs on the blue pitcher!