Friday, June 22, 2007

Show and Tell Friday!!!


The wonderful Kelli over at "There's no place like home" has started this friday feature, here's what she had to say:

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!" Do you have a something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, a new antique find, an old love letter. Use your imagination and dig through those old boxes in your closet if you have to! Feel free to share pictures and if there's a story behind your special something, that's even better!
If you would like to join in, all you have to do is post your "Show and Tell" on your blog, copy the post link, come over here and add it to Mr. Linky.
It's been two weeks since I've participated, life just got in the way as usual and between packing for a move next week, flying to my MIL's wedding and everything else in between, I didn't get a chance to do this, so I'm glad I have some time to join in today.

Again, this is another treasure I had shared a long time ago on my blog, but it's one that is so near and dear to my heart that it deserves to be shown again, if you've been one of my
readers for a long time, you know how much I love and admire my greatgrandmother.

First let me tell you a bit about her. She was born in 1906 and when she was 4 years old her mother died of cancer. Her father then took on the sole responsibility of raising her and her older brother, until he remarried and then had another son. Within a few years, and when her older brother was 29, he was suddenly killed while out fishing. Apparently he was struck by lightning and fell into the ocean. Now my greatgrandma had been cooking and taking care of the house since she was a little girl, around 8 or 9. Her dad had to work so she would make sure he had his meals ready when he got home.
Unfortunately when she was 13 years old, she came home from school only to find her father had hung himself in the kitchen.

Such a tragic life she had and you would have thought it would be enough to keep her down, but it didn't, she was the strongest and most courageous woman I have EVER come across.
She married when she was 16 years old and her husband, my greatgrandpa, was 26. They had a wonderful life together, but he unfortunately also later passed away with cancer when she was just 40 something years old.

My bio was the family matriarch. She pretty much raised me and my brothers while our parents were out working, she cooked meals for sometimes 20 people, took care of the housework, the kids, anything and everything. One of the things I most treasure and remember was her nightly ritual. She would get ready for bed and then sit down, kiss the photo of her husband and pray, then go to sleep. This went on for years and years and years.
She got really sick when she was 94 years old, and I remember the day I left South Africa to come to the States. I kissed her goodbye and gave her a huge hug and told her I loved her, she just smiled back at me so sweetly and said "I love you sandra, you be a good wife and a good mother and I hope to see you someday soon".

That was September 1998!!!
March 24, 1999, I was laying in bed and the phone rang at 5am, it was one of my older brothers and I knew what he was going to say. She passed away a month before Jasmine was born.
My heart still aches for her and I miss her terribly, but I know she's watching over me and the kids.

I will forever be greatful for what she taught me, I am the woman I am today because of HER.
I have a few items that belonged to her, and I treasure them dearly.

This is my greatgrandfather. I have the original jewelry box which contains this pendant. It's so beautiful and I love looking it at it every chance I get. :)

This is an old old old pin that my greatgrandmother used to wear. She passed this on to my daughter Jasmine. I am keeping it for her until she's old enough to take care of it :)



This ring belonged to my greatgrandmother and was given to her by my greatgrandfather. I always loved looking at it, so when she passed away, it was one of the things that came to me. I try not to wear it too often for fear of loosing it. :)


And there you have it, and now I'm in tears again so I'll just skidaddle on out of here :)

16 comments:

Kim said...

Wow. Can't you just hear the Lord? "Well done good and faithful servant, enter into your reward." Thank you for sharing.

LadySnow said...

That ring is beautiful!

charish said...

thank you for sharing. What a beautiful story and memories to pass along.

ellen b. said...

I'm glad you shared these treasures and their story. Don't you hope we can leave inspiration like that to the next generations...
http://happywonderer.wordpress.com/

Susan said...

Well you have me in tear, too, just reading this. Lovely, lovely treasurers and I can see why they mean so very much to you.
Susan

Mary L. Briggs said...

What a wonderful woman your grandmother was! You are so blessed to have such wonderful memories as well as the sweet momentos she left behind.

LBP said...

What a touching story! Your grandmother must have had great strength and trust in the Lord to bring her through such heartache.

Thanks for sharing your lovely items.

someone else said...

What a great show and tell. Those keepsakes are just priceless!!

Lana G! said...

Wow, what great treasures made priceless by their great history!

Blessings on you.

Lana G!
http://airmiles.wordpress.com/

Lori said...

Wow. Those were some tragedies for your grandma to endure. She is one strong lady.
I'm sure you treasure all of the items you mentioned. I agree the ring is beautiful.

This story had me in tears too.

Hugs, Lori

Trella said...

What wonderful treasures you have to remember such a wonderful person by.
Blessings,
Trella

Carole Burant said...

Such a beautiful heartfelt tribute to your great grandmother...she sounds like she was a wonderful person and you were indeed very lucky to have her in your life. I know how much you treasure the heirlooms she left behind...the ring especially is absolutely gorgeous!! Have a wonderful weekend. xox

Kelli said...

What a wonderful story, Sandra! What special treasures to have, the ring is sooo pretty!!

Kelli

Myrna said...

Beuatiful treasures from a beautiful woman! I'm so glad you showed us these items and told the story of your great grandmother again, because I was not blogging the first time you did.

Barbara H. said...

What a lovely woman she was, and how wonderful that you have those treasures to remember her by.

Barbara H. @ Stray Thoughts

theups said...

What a wonderful story!!! And your treasures are SO beautiful!!

His,
Mrs. U