Grandma and Grandpa Cox

Today I was at work and my boss commented that today was the day her dad died. It got me thinking. About this time last year Grandma Cox died. Her funeral was over memorial day weekend. Two weeks later, Grandpa Cox died. It was a super hard time for me, but I wanted to blog about why they were so special to me. I started by thinking about how much I love my daughter. I haven't met her yet, but I feel her ALL the time! I already have a bond with her and I already love her to pieces! I am so excited to have her be a part of my family, and yet I was sad because she will never know the Grandparents that I got to have.

Grandma and Grandpa Cox were my neighbors when I was 7 years old. I am sure I wasn't the best child in the world, but from day one I was loved by them. I guess because they didn't have any grandchildren near by I got to be their pseudo- grandchild. I was alright with that! Grandma always had cookies in her cookie jar. She used to have an old green cookie jar, but one day she got a new one that was a cow, and when you opened the cookie jar, the cow would moo! No more sneaking cookies without Grandma knowing! ( I think it was more for Grandpa than for me!) I loved swimming in their pool! Nothing was better than being out there with Grandma in the pool. The best part about swimming was the snack after! Nothing was better than Grandma's macaroni salad! I wish I had the recipe! It had little shrimp, cubes of cheese, macaroni, and i don't know what else, but it was heaven!

Besides swimming, cookies, and having my own candy drawer there was always Tang in the house for me, and there was always music. I think I loved the music the best! Grandpa would start playing the piano and I would be sitting next to him on the bench and Grandma would come over and start singing parts with Grandpa and I was there singing right with them! They probably sounded better without me, but they were always happy to have me join in! I also remember getting pennies whenever I could complete a scale on the piano with a penny on my hand! If I didn't drop the penny on the piano I could keep it! I probably made about 3 cents all together!

The lesson I learned through those short years of living next door to them was a lesson I will never forget. I was 8 years old and invited my Grandma and Grandpa to my baptism. I was oblivious to the fact that Grandpa never went to church, I just knew that I loved him and wanted him there. He came! Then he started coming to church! How excited I was to see him another day of the week! I am sure I spent more time over there than at my own house! For my birthday that year they gave me a plaque, that I still have! I remember it was wrapped in a see's candy box, and I have to admit I was a little disappointed that it wasn't candy, but I still love the words written on the Plaque, "Those who give have all things". There is a precious moments girl dressed in rags and feeding the birds out of her hands with some bread. Right now it is hanging over my little girl's crib. I figured that was the best place to put it.

I learned so much about love from them. Love conquers all boundaries. No matter what you've done in your life or what path you have chosen, only love can bring you back. Stepping through the doors of that house was like stepping into love. I was never told what not to do, but I always did was I was told to because I knew that they loved me! I hope my little girl gets to know how special the Cox's were to me. I am so grateful for the plan of happiness, because I know I can see them again, and that makes me happy! I hope Memorial day brings back memories of happiness for all of you as well.