Monday, October 19, 2009

Dorothy























October is such a delicious month, don't you think? It is full of my favorite sights, flavors, and smells. I love it for many reasons, but a couple of them in particular. My baby baby Erika lou-lou was born , nearly a year ago this month (sheesh, where does the time go?!) and her namesake was also born this month, only 93 years earlier...Dorothy Louise.


Dorothy is my grandmother, and I wrote about my last visit with her down in Texas last December. I love Dorothy...everyone does that knows her. She is THE poster girl for a positive attitude and a par-ty animal. She's like a lightbulb that can brighten even the dullest of days with her twinkly eyes and smiley, dimpled, wrinkled cheeks. I had the incredibly good fortune of living in the same town (a rather large one) as my grandparents, Papa and Dorothy. Papa and Dorothy have always been such a huge part of my life...and all of their grandchildren's. It's evident in the fact that almost all of her grandchildren flew in from the four corners of the earth to celebrate her 94th birthday.


She can't sing "Once der was a pretty little girl and her name was a Alecus Rumsey," take care of all the flowers and plants in her yard and her neighbors', she can't volunteer at M.D. Andersen Hospital like she did for about 40 years, she can't play bridge, speed, or dominoes and beat her daughters and grandchildren like she always did, she can't travel like she always loved, she can't tell you a story about her growing up days in Luling, TX or West Columbia, TX, she can't cook her famous chocolate pie that still lives on in all of our Thanksgivings...but, she can still sing the University of Texas fight song, "The Eyes of Texas."


I'm sorry this post is a little disjointed. It's after 11 p.m. and my brain is short-circuiting. Two weekends ago, we all flew to Houston, Texas to see my grandma, Dorothy. She had a stroke about a month ago, so she can't talk anymore, she only mumbles and sings the UT fight song (totally cracked us up--she's a UT alumni and has always been a fan). It just about tore all of our hearts up to see her in a nursing home, in hospice. She would try to communicate, but it only came out in mumbles. Several times, she would just stop mid-mumble, look and smile at us, and then just wink. She knew we couldn't understand her mumbo-jumbo, but we could understand her smile.

I'll never forget that weekend. My children will never forget that weekend. Our hearts were full of happiness and love for this dear woman who has been a ray of sunshine in all of our lives. I think about her everyday. If she were more alert I would tell her this story and she would laugh(I'll tell you instead). Today, my Joseph kept getting into my Costco-size Nestle chocolate chip bag. I kept telling him, "Joseph, get outta that bag!" Finally, in a last-ditch effort for one more handful, he exclaimed, "But Mom, little boys LOVE chocolate chips!"

Love you Dorothy. Hope you had a very Happy Birthyday!
(And a huge thank you to my dynamo sister-in-law, Natalie, for scanning that second picture for me, as she was two days away from moving...thank you Nat. loves to you)














10 comments:

The Leonard Four said...

what a precious post full of precious memories, lex! i have a giant lump in my throat!!! i'm glad that you were able to spend your grandmother's 94th bday with her! :)

i so love the way you write...thanks once again for sharing! xo...

Emma Jo said...

I love the pictures, so happy and beautiful and nostalgic. I have met your Dorothy a time or two and she is everything you say she is. And you guys are adorable in everything you say and do.

Amy Lynn said...

What amazing pictures! What an amazing woman! She is beautiful!!!! Thank you for sharing a little bit of her with your fans! It is obvious you are related...the way you described her is exactly how I would describe the Rumsey family I know!

Suzanne said...

What a wonderful grandmother! Her life definitely lives on in lots of her posterity. I'm sorry that she can't talk to you, but looking at those pictures I just know she was thrilled to see all of you there for her birthday!

Polynesian Cultural Center said...

I have a lump in my throat and tears on my cheeks! What a description of the lady I was honored to be born to! Thanks, Alexis, for describing so tenderly Mother. She always faced life with such gratitude and enthusiasm. She STILL doesn't want to leave her party here(not sure she understands that there's a BIG party waiting for her!):) What a girl!

Melissa said...

I write this as tears stream down my face. Thanks for sharing Dorothy with us... as you described her I wondered if you were really describing yourself and your mother.

How blessed you are to have such a queen in your family tree.

That party that awaits her on the other side... I bet it's a rager.

~Yo Yo Buzz

P.S. Tell Jerry Lewis Joseph that big boys LOVE chocolate chips too.

And yes October is yummy. It's the best month of the year with the best birthdays and holiday!

cjaster said...

Aren't grandma's the best! The endless wonderful memories of our favorite people seem to outweigh the memories of them when they are not quite themselves. Though, I do remember my great-grandmother when she towards the end of her life in a nursing home. She would cuss at everyone that walked through the door. I had never heard her cuss before then. Haha! I guess she was venting. Now I want some of her delicious sweet pickles. Thanks for sharing Dorothy's sweet story.

Kents said...

Thank you for sharing, Alexis. I love my grandma, too. She's 90 and a HUGE part of my life. Thinking of her gone makes me cry. She just lives up the street, but sometimes when we're together, I can't hardly keep it together knowing that soon she won't be just up the street any more. It makes me want to see her every day. We are so blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives and for such a long time, really. Boy, does time fly. Miss you.

Suzie Petunia said...

I remember visiting her home once with you and thinking, "Alexis is so much like Dorothy!" You both have that twinkle and sparkle that makes everyone around you smile.

Rumsey's said...

Such a sweet post Alexis :)