Keep a-Goin'

When I was pregnant with AG Me-Me would tell me how much she prayed that he would be a boy and that she wanted him to have red hair. (Particularly the same shade that my dad's was as a little boy.) He not only is named after his granddad but he also has the same fiery red hair. When we took AG to meet Me-Me all she could talk about was his hair as she lovingly stroked his head. She even called him Mr. Red...

Tonight my heart aches. After I put the kids to bed I began to work on finalizing our Disney plans for my birthday. Andy is in Miami for the night and I got on a roll...I looked up and realized that it was 1:30 and I should head to bed. (Yes, even with two kids I'm still a night owl!) As I was climbing in the bed I received a text from my parents that my grandmother had passed away. My sweet grandmother is finally home and whole. She was diagnosed with Alzheimers when I was in college and so this has been a long time coming. Due to the disease, she has been 'gone' for years now despite being prepared for the end I wept. Tonight I will cling to my favorite Psalm as I attempt to sleep...it also happens to be Me-Me's favorite, Psalm 121. 

And in the days that follow I will Keep a-Goin'! We'll all Keep a-Goin' because that is what she would want. The following poem was Me-Me's favorite. And as her memory began to fade she could still recite this. I will forever cherish her very animated rendition of this in my memory. 

KEEP A-GOIN’

Author: by Frank L. Stanton (1857-1927)

If you strike a thorn or rose,
Keep a-goin'!
If it hails or if it snows,
Keep a-goin'!
'Taint no use to sit an' whine
When the fish ain't on your line;
Bait your hook an' keep a-tryin'--
Keep a-goin'!

When the weather kills your crop,
Keep a-goin'!
Though 'tis work to reach the top,
Keep a-goin'!
S'pose you're out o' ev'ry dime,
Gittin' broke ain't any crime;
Tell the world you're feelin' prime--
Keep a-goin'!

When it looks like all is up,
Keep a-goin'!
Drain the sweetness from the cup,
Keep a-goin'!
See the wild birds on the wing,
Hear the bells that sweetly ring,
When you feel like singin', sing--
Keep a-goin'!

My Dearest Me-Me,

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart thank you for all that you did for me and my sisters over the years. Thank you for sweet moments. Thank you for wonderful celebrations over the years...you were always a wonderful hostess. Thank you for a chance to be young in the mountains because there was no where else we'd rather be. Thank you for teaching us manners and how a lady should act...M and C do you remember the cassette tapes of songs about manners? Thank you for Snoopy fishing poles. Thank you for bath time and drying each individual toe while we sat in your lap. Thank you for bedtime stories...I'm sure Caroline would also say thank you for insisting she sleep on the trundle bed so that she wouldn't fall out of the bed and hurt herself, even at 10 years old.  Thank you for loving Misty as your own because you knew to us she was and is our big sister. Thank you for always supporting our endeavors. Thank you for giving my sisters and I a wonderful appreciation of the arts from an early age. Thank you for trips to Chick-a-lay on the corner. (The Chick-fil-A at North Druid Hills.)  Thank you for always including books for my library each birthday and Christmas. You will be happy to know that AG already dearly loves Ira Sleeps Over...funny thing is he doesn't like to read the new copy I have...he insists on reading the well loved and very worn copy you gave me when I was little. Thanks for my love of red...your signature color was and is still my favorite. Thank you for Chocolate Soup and London Fog. Thank you for Varsity trips in our Chocolate Soup and London Fog. Thank you for all these things and countless more. You were an incredible and amazing grandmother. Generous with your time and love. We are forever grateful. 

Love, Katie-Girl