Guest Blogger Rebecca Jo

From before I was even born Grandma Jo, you have been special to me. I didnt know it at the time, but you were. Technically, you are my aunt. Emotionally, you are my grandma. But more importantly, you are my name sake. Most people hate being called by their first and middle names, and when I was young I didnt really like it either. But now that I am older and understand more about life, I love hearing someone call me Rebecca Jo. My name comes from the most amazing woman, and it truly is an honor. I take pride in my name, not because of the name, but because of who it comes from. Grandma Jo, you have been there for me through the up and the downs in more ways than I can write. No matter what was happening or what I did you always focused on the positive and helped me to see the brighter side of things. You taught me to take stock in the positives and not to dwell on the negatives. Even when life was hard on you, you puts other first. You are truly an amazingly, selfless woman. If I can become even a fraction of the woman you are today, then I will be happy. Grandma Jo, you are absolutely fantastic, and I love you very much. I can see why mom and dad chose to name me after you. I hope I can be a great as you and touch as lives is a positve manner.
      
    Rebecca Jo

Guest Blogger Marsha, Marsha, Marsha Ballance

What  to say about Grandma Jo....what is there not say. She is truly one of the most stubborn, caring, loving ladies I have ever known. But if you truly know her, Love just comes automatically with her, on both sides. I have to admit, that this was a scary family when they came into 3 Rivers over 10 years ago. But, when you get to know Gram, you don't have to know why, the over protection was there. After a few months, it was the first time in a long time I felt a grandmas love again. Until recently I have never heard a complaint or ouch out of her. Always just that beautiful smile with a "oh that's alright" I can say now that I am truly grateful, I have gained a second family, that I don't know what I'd do without. They all love me unconditionally, and I feel the same towards them. I also have to say Grandma Jo has one dedicated, and caring daughter who she is daily by her side. She might miss a day here or there, so she can recharge herself. But I've seen first hand, her guilt, and sadness knowing gram is sitting alone. Grandma Jo is one lady who deserves to be told and showed she is loved, for one simple fact. She might not be able to make her beautiful crafts anymore, or do her get a tax number yard sales, or any of the number of things she always did. But, one thing that never will be taken from her, is what she does the best anyways. She LOVES!! Thank you for loving me Grandma Jo.

Home

There are many, many songs and phrases about home and how important it is.  Between my first day of kindergarten and my last day of high school, I attended seven different schools and move thirteen times.  Some of those moves included moving back to Grandma's at different times.  No matter how many places we lived, home was Grandma's house.  It wasn't just us.  Anytime anyone needed a place to stay for a short while or a long while, they had it.  Even when a teenager shows up on her doorstep unannounced who needed a place to live for four years so she could go to high school at "home".  I need to pause and thank my Mom here.  I know it was a tough decision, but as a parent you do what's best for your kids at the time.  Mom unselfishly sent me to NY to live with Grandma to go to high school there with my old friends and most of all stability. Thanks Mom, I love you.  Aunt Lin pulls up in the driveway and says, "Here ya' go" and Grandma in all her infinite grace, had a moment of surprise and just took me in.  I love my grandparents for giving up their fairly new retirement to raise another teenager.  Thanks!

At 45 years old and married for 19 years, Jimmie still corrects me when I say "I'm going home" when we travel to NY.  I can't help it.  I love my home with my boys and it is home, but HOME will always be where Grandma is.

"My Mom" from Joni

I really don't even know where to begin about my mom - she is a very special lady and my best friend. We had our ups and downs in life, but that was because I thought I knew everything !! In my heart and mind, I had a perfect childhood, thanks to my wonderful mom & dad. I learned so much from my mom, about cooking and cleaning - I didn't adapt to the canning, like Cheri did, love home canned goods but that is too much like WORK 😍 I always enjoyed cooking and baking, which I learned from my mom, but after having my own diner.......Not one of my favorites. My mom and dad, were always there for me - no matter when or why, they never questioned me, just always there !! She is and always was, a true inspiration.

Pickles

Maybe it's the time of the year, but lately when I think of my Grandma, I think of pickles.  Kind of an odd thing to start my memories of her and telling her how much she means to me, but pickles are on the brain.  She taught me many, many things and one of them is knowing my way around the kitchen and we did a lot of "old fashioned" cooking.  Around this time of the year, it would be the beginning of our canning season.  We didn't grow our own garden, but my grandparents had plenty of friends who did and always had an over abundance of produce.  Pickles were made every year.  Two weeks of many pickle crocks sitting on the back porch to let the cucumbers pickle.  Two weeks to smell the spices and I could never resist taking the cover off and getting a good whiff of the vinegar and spices.  Two weeks of stirring the pickles each day. Then, the canning day.  The kitchen was full of steam from the pots of boiling water.  Lots of boiling water to sterilize the jars and then to seal the tops after we stuffed them full of pickles and juice.  The pickles made the most were bread and butter pickles, but I always preferred dill pickles.  One year, we made dill pickles because I asked for them.  Would it have been easier to go to the store and buy the pickles?  Absolutely.  But, maybe I learned something else while making pickles.  Maybe I learned that the easy way is not always the best way.  Maybe I learned that it takes time and hard work(think mid-summer, no air conditioning and A LOT of steam!) to create something wonderful.  Maybe I learned that accomplishing something with your family is better than an easy quick trip to the store.  All I do know is that I never look at a jar of pickles(store-bought or otherwise) without thinking of my Grandma and those late summer, steamy, spicy days in the kitchen with our pickles.

Why I Am Creating a Blog

I get it now.  I have heard about blogging for a few years and even in my coursework have created a blog for specific classes.  But, I used to think, "What do I have to write about?"  How do all of these people around the world find something to write about that people want to read?  I get it now, they have a passion.  This blog is for my Grandmother, Josephine, or to everyone she comes in contact with, Grandma Jo.  Part therapeutic for me because I am so far from home, but mostly to let her know how she has touched my life and others.  I do not profess to be a great writer, but I wanted a central place that people could go to to let her know how much she means to them even if they are far away.  So, if you have a story you would like to share, email it to me(link below) and I will add it as your own post instead of putting it in the comments.  I hope this becomes what I imagine.

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