Today marks two years since my Grandma passed away. Joelle is our first baby that my Grandma hasn’t been here to meet. I never realized how much that would mean to me until recently. Being one of the youngest siblings in a bigger family, I’ve never really had all the memories that my older siblings have with our aunts and uncles, cousins, and grandparents. But my Grandma was different. She always made a way to have a relationship with each of us.
I have so many special memories with her. Just to name a few (and a few more, and a few more after that…) staying at her home in Georgia and walking into a room filled with baby dolls to play with, and really her entire home, even out to her garage. Everything about her home was like a toy store and we had open access to explore and play with anything we wanted. She would let me dress up in her french style hats and coats and wear them out on the town. I thought I had so much style. The anticipation of her many road trips from Georgia to Florida all by herself to visit family, which sort of goes hand in hand with her sometimes very strange but always very thoughtful gifts. I don’t think she ever visited without bringing something to give, whether it was a gift just because, or any type of food – emphasis on “any”- if we were getting together for a meal. She made my closest friends feel like one of her own grandchildren. The look in her eyes when she gently held one of her great grandchildren was so sincere and filled with love. I’m grateful I was able to experience that with two of my own children.
My siblings and our families all have a special love for Helen, GA and it’s because of all the times we went with my Grandma as kids. Going there now as an adult takes me right back to my childhood, and the greatest General Store of all time.
As soon as I saw this specific fabric (see adorable photos of Joelle below) I thought of my Grandma instantly as it reminded me of the Dutch style in Helen, and I knew I wanted to make Joelle an outfit with it to remember her by. I’ve joked a few times that Joelle reminds me of my Grandma with her big build and big appetite. She was very tall and could also “out eat” our entire family.
If I could suggest one thing, and you’d take my advice because I’m so wise…I’d suggest exercising your brain and thinking back to some old memories that you may have forgotten about. They may bring sadness and pain of times that are no longer, but there’s beauty in that kind of pain. When I think back to my Grandma, I miss it all….except for that one Thanksgiving and the mashed potatoes with her “special ingredient”…