My family has a ton of funny stories. We are funny people. Or maybe funny looking lol. I remember always being amused as a kid when people were surprised that I have a dad and yes, he lives with us. My dad makes quiet people look talkative. Even less people know that I did know my paternal grandparents. They're about as talkative as he is. This series is a tribute to the mothers in my life, so I will save Big Daddy for another day. My MeeMaw was quite the character. A staunch Church of Christ member, I can remember getting pamphlets from her on every visit. We went to her church at least once a visit and more if there was a ladies' meeting or domino tournament.
Speaking of dominos...MeeMaw taught me everything I know about being an original gamer. The woman had a collection of board games that would make a museum curator drool. There was none of this "everyone's a winner" foolishness. Oh no. I remember being very young (5...maybe 6) and her killing off my pieces one by one and laughing. It was go big or go home...crying. Evenings were filled with dominos, Pollyanna, Skip-bo, Uno, and all other kinds of card/board games. We often played partners, with MeeMaw pairing up with my brother because of his only boy status.
You see, the Thomas clan had one boy - my dad. He had one biological son - my brother. And because my grandmother was firmly planted in the 1940s, Phillip got an honored spot in the family because he would carry on the family name. This was the only redeeming factor of my father's second (gasp!) marriage. She made no secret that she did not approve of divorce or my parents' marriage after a divorce. This, and her loyalty to family blood lines always made for some fun visits when Mom visited with us. My name is Christy. Mom swears I was named for Christ. And when they told my MeeMaw, they were shocked to discover a long held secret. Her name was Christine! My grandmother had always gone by the name Flogene (don't ask - I have no idea). Turns out her legal name was Christine. I can only imagine what was going on in Mom's head - putting all that time into picking THE perfect name only to discover you had accidentally copied a family name. haha!
My MeeMaw was a hard woman to crack. To be perfectly honest, I found it hard to relate to her as a kid. But now that I'm older, I have grown to appreciate a lot of things for her. She was loyal to God first, family second. She taught me a lot about family honor and to take pride in being a Thomas. She transplanted a love of gardening and keeping plants and animals. She loved her old collie, Tina, till the very end. She was the epitome of southern hospitality - always ready with tea and baked goodies. Sharp as a whip. I sometimes think I get some of my wit from her. She loved a good competition and had a beautiful smile. I don't have a digital copy of a picture to share with you, but take my word - beautiful. She stood by her family through tough times. She was a child of the Great Depression and always reminded us to be wise with our money. She began every letter "My dearest, darling granddaughter", and wrote me loyally every month until her health began to fail. I hope one day I make her proud to carry the family memories onto my children.
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