In my family, July is a huge month for birthdays. Between both sides, we have over 8 special days to celebrate! One of my cousins who I grew up with and have always been close to has a birthday on July 19th, just 2 days before mine. It was her grandmother, Mamaw Prather, who was our babysitter. I may not have been her grandchild by blood, but Truman Grace Prather could not have loved me anymore if I were. From the time I was two months old until I started school, I was at her house every weekday. After I started school, I got off the bus at her house until I was 9 years old. I have so many wonderful memories of her and her husband, their house, and their farm. My mom loves to tell the story about the time that I got an Easy Bake Oven and promptly asked to return it to WalMart because it took 30 minutes to make one lousy brownie and I pronounced that "Mamaw Prather lets me really cook!" But who wouldn't be unimpressed with a plastic "oven" and light bulb when they got to pull a ladder back chair up to a stove and cook and bake and see a meal through from start to delicious finish? That was my experience with Mamaw Prather and I'm forever thankful for it.
But, back to why July 20th is a special day for me. When my cousin and I were growing up, Mamaw Prather always celebrated our birthdays at her house. Since they were only a day apart, to be fair, she had us celebrate on the 20th. Mamaw made us a special lunch that we got to choose. There was a homemade cake with both of our names spelled out in crunch candy letters from the grocery store baking aisle. Always chocolate frosting because it was both of our favorites. For weeks in the summer, we looked forward to our shared day and our yummy cake and ice cream! Looking back, I can still remember the glow of the candles on the cake at the kitchen table with the lights dimmed. The smooth taste of homemade chocolate frosting with the sugary "crunch" of the letters. And the feeling of knowing how special we both were to her. How I wish I could go back and have one more birthday with Mamaw!
Today, on the day that she made special, I think about all of the memories I have at Mamaw Prather's house and all of the things she taught me. I can't drink a grape Powerade without tasting the homemade Kool-Aid popsicles we made. I remember the excitement of getting to bottle feed calves beside her. I see her sitting in her rocking chair and reading her Bible in quiet moments throughout the day. I hope that she would be proud of me and I hope that I can live up to the things that I know she expected from me and the things that she taught me. And as I get ready to start a new life in a new home with my husband, I plan to hang one of her recipes in my kitchen and bring a little part of Mamaw with me, always.
Brandi
The Almost Birthday Girl
