Nennie

Oh..... where to begin? My mom's mom is a one-of-a-kind lady. I have worked on writing this post in my head for several weeks and online for another couple of weeks. I never know where to start. To say that she is a strong woman is not giving her the full credit she deserves. She raised three children all by herself and while things were never easy, she always provided and made the best of a hard situation. She did what she needed to do and did not quit.


Nennie was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1986. She had surgery and then chemo. She was never sick from the chemo and never lost a single hair. She is such a fighter and never lost hope that she would beat the terrible disease.

She has 3 children, 9 grandkids (not including all the spouses) and 9 great-grandkids (if I can do my math correctly!). She lost her oldest daughter to breast cancer in 1994. I cannot imagine losing a child at any age - even as an adult. She stayed with Navena at the hospital every day and cared for her when she wouldn't let the nurses. She took care of her like any mother would care for their child. Fortunately, most mothers do not have to care for their adult children. I cannot imagine the physical and emotional toll it must take to bring a child into this world and then lose them to such an awful, long, painful diesease.

Nennie has always been terribly independent and I would even say that she prided herself on being able to always take care of herself. Several years ago, she started losing her eyesight. She has Macular Degeneration and slowly lost not only her eyesight, she lost the things that meant the most to her - needlepoint, crocheting, pottery, reading, driving - her independence. She is dependent on someone else for most everything these days. For her, that has to be the hardest thing in the world.

Sometimes she gets down and wonders why she is still here with us. Some of us remind her that her family needs her. She is our prayer warrior. She prays for each and every member of our family daily. I have told her that God knows we obviously still need her praying and interceeding for us. I know that I don't always have the time to pray for my family or boys like I should. But, as long as Nennie is around, I know that she is and I thank God for every additional day that he gives her on this earth.

She turned 86 in October and I can not even begin to think of all the things that she has experienced and the changes that have come along in her lifetime. Highways, microwave ovens, VCRs, DVDs, cell phones, computers (which she has probably never once used) - so many things that most could not imagine a day without. Some days I think that it would be nice to not have so much technology in our lives, but without it, I couldn't brag on my Nennie. If you are reading this and are one of her grands or great-grands, please take a few minutes to give her a call and let her know how much you love her. I know that I am going to do so this evening.