Story Time

I have a Granddaughter that lives far away and when she comes to this part of the world, she and her family will come to my home for a visit, they usually will stay about a week which is pure joy.  I also have been blessed to visit with other grandchildren and their families in their home and what I have seen is a loving way these families interact when bedtime comes around.

When the children were young their parents would gather them around and would read to them bedtime stories, this was a special time in the evening before prayers and saying goodnight with goodnight kisses and being tucked into bed.

I have thought about when I was a young child and how it was when it was time for bed at my home.  I'm sure my Mother read me bedtime stories, but it was my Nannie that I remember reading to me the most.  She would come for a visit and spend several night with us.  I would always look forward to these visit because I knew that after dinner and the dishes were done, she would sit with me on the couch in the living room, I would snuggle next to her and she would take me to faraway places with the books and the stories she would read.

I have also thought on how I treated bedtime when my children were little.  I had four children close together, so I was very busy and especially when evening came and dinner was over.  After the excitement of the day, baths were taken and pajamas were put on, prayers were said and bedtime was here. I know I read them bedtime stories but not enough and now as I look back on those tender years, I only wish I had taken more time to read them more stories.

When it became apparent that my mother needed help, I became a caregiver to her with the help of my brother.  We took care of her needs, fix her meals, did the shopping and etc.  Then it became necessary that someone would need to spend the nights with her. After dinner I would sit at the table with Mama and we would visit until her bedtime.

It was during this time that my Sister gave Mama a special book for her birthday, as I looked at this Mary Engelbreit book I realized that Mama would never be able to read this book or enjoy the colorful pictures, for you see, my Mother had Macular degeneration and her eyesight was very poor, I then thought that, maybe, if I read this book to her and describe those pictures in this book, then maybe, just maybe, she would be able to enjoy this special book from my Sister.

This was the beginning of our nightly "Story Time".  Each night after the dinner dishes was done my Mama would say to me "are we going to have our story time tonight?" and I would answer, "yes Mama we are".  I soon found out that as I read, it would trigger a memory, I then took a spiral notebook and when Mama would start to share a memory about her life or an event, I would write them down.  One day she said to me, "I have enjoyed all these books you have read to me, but I'm afraid I don't remember them," and then she asked me if I would write them down for her?  I then took one of those Compositions books and wrote on the pages the books that we had read, the dates when we finished that book along with the memories Mama had shared, I added pictures from those books along with some of my own comments.  I then covered the composition book and gave it the title "Story Time With Mams #1".

When I had finished this book, I gave it to Mama, she seemed pleased, I then read it to her and share her memories that I had written. She then asked me if there was going to be a second book of "Story Time With Mama" yes Mama, there will be a second book. 

I have that book in my guest room in my home now and every so often I will go into that red room and pick up the book that says, "Story Time With Mama", I will sit in the wicker chair that was my Mama's, open the book and have some sweet warm and tender memories and will remember that when story time was over and I would help my Mama get ready for bed, tuck her in and kiss her goodnight, she would say to me "Thanks for my story time, I wonder how many daughter's read stories to their Mama like you do?"  I would smile and say you are welcome,  I love you Mama, sleep tight, I'll see you in the morning".

I was never much of a reader when I was growing up, I had too many other things to do, I did read some books but that was really only I think when we had an assignment for a class at school.  I didn't start reading books until my children were grown, for that's when I had some time.

Because I saw how important it was for my Mother to have a record of the books we read, I now keep a record of the books I read, I'm calling my book " Story Time With Liz", maybe some of my children or Grandchildren will enjoy reading this book of my collection of "Story Time" with some of my thoughts, feelings and memories when I am gone and then maybe they might learn a little more about their Mama or Grandma who was named "Liz".