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| Grammy's & Evelien's First Embrace |
This story has taken a long time to put in text, and I can't explain why it's been such a challenge for me to document, other than I feel that my words are totally inadequate to express the wonderment and joy of the unfolding events. I finally decided that someday, maybe I'll get to tell you in person, and that the joy on my face will tell it all. I would love to tell you face to face and can't wait until that happens. But, in the meantime... this written story will have to do.
There will be more than one chapter to my story. How many? I don't know yet. That's to be determined. But, I decided that I must get busy, for new adventures are happening everyday, and I'm already behind on sharing them. So, here I go, as best I can, telling this story that is so near & dear to my heart.
Chapter One - Grammy's Night Out
There were over forty of us entertaining together that night, and we ladies of the Performing Arts Department beamed with pride that we "mature women" had managed to attract a "full house". Tickets had sold out, hours of rehearsals were behind us, and our new black outfits with rhinestone bling defined our newly elevated status as "bonafied performers". December 2, 2010 definitely was a star studded night, and we were a part of the glimmer and shine, and I... I was about to begin my long awaited, long hoped for, long dreamed of role as "Grand Mamah", or as we say here in Texas... "Grandma"!
Now, you're gonna' have to give this ol' girl some leeway here. 'Cause you see, I'm gonna' tell you this story as it happened, and I'm gonna' enjoy telling it. So, you just need to sit back and relax and let this new Grandma "splut" a little...
Desserts & coffee were the planned menu. Most of us ladies baked our favorite, prize winning recipes. We wanted our guests to feast with their eyes as well as with their taste buds, so, I did my part. I baked my famous strawberry cake. Actually, I baked two of them. Why not, since I was dirtying up the kitchen, anyway? Well, my cake, uh-hum, cakes had a hard time in the oven, and the layers baked terribly unlevel. Guess my house had shifted a little on its foundation, or I had the shelves in kind of crooked. Still don't know what happened.
So, to improve my dilemma by giving me extra icing with which to work, I improvised and tried adding marshmallow creme to the frosting. What a great idea, huh? It would make the cake extra gooey and rich, and everyone would wonder what the magical ingredient could be. All would be clamoring for my recipe, and I would be the talk of the Women's Club. Why, I would become famous, all because of a pink, fluffy, melt-in-your mouth mystery known as marshmallow creme frosting. You got it... I added more!
Famous, indeed. My pink strawberry cake turned out to be one of the biggest flops from my kitchen, ever! It was a "lop-sided", "sticky icing oozing out", "layers stuck together", "pink" kind of mud pie. A three-year old could have done better than this. It definitely had a difficult life: so did I right about then. But, I salvaged the best looking one of the two cakes and provided toppings of whipped cream, strawberry glaze, fresh strawberries, and mint leaves to garnish and cover up the blob of cake beneath. This was one of the most expensive cakes I'd ever put together: money, yes... time, astronomical... worry, unbelievable! The kitchen crew saved it for last, if that tells you anything about its appearance. At least I tried... really, really tried, and I'm happy to say that the musical performance that followed out shined my cake, and that's a good thing!
Our ladies sang the wonderful Christmas songs we all love, as well as romantic standards from the 40's, while I played the keyboard and directed them from out front. As musical director I felt a sense of pride, and our drama director smiled approvingly. Our ladies had worked hard to memorize their music and to learn the art of singing as a choir, and all the hard work had finally turned an "almost good" choir into an "outstanding" choir. Yes, the PAD ladies were great! The audience responded enthusiastically to each of our songs; clapping and laughing and the holiday spirit glowed on each and every face. Even when Santa's visit stole the show, we carried on our musical number as if his upstaging us had been the planned agenda. It was fun to see Santa! It was fun to sing and laugh! Yes, it was a magical evening, for sure.
As our program segued to the sacred portion of the evening, a wonderful hush fell over the room. The Christmas story from Luke was read while I softly played "O Holy Night" behind the narration. The true meaning of Christmas was being revealed: the reason for our joy, and I sensed a feeling of wonderment as I began to sing, *"Mary, Did You Know?"
Accompanying myself on the keyboard, I stood before the audience as the words flowed, "Mary, did you know your baby boy has walked where angels trod?... and when you kiss your little baby, you've kissed the face of God... Mary, did you know?".
When finished singing, I felt like God had been in that very room, and that He was still there with us. A holy hush hung in the air, and I felt totally surrounded by peace and calm and stillness. Even the candles' flickers seemed to stop in motion while no one coughed, no one chinked their water glass, and no one whispered a word.
Some moments are just too intimate to talk about, and some moments are just indescribable because words are mere echoes of the emotional well within. Then there are those moments that are to be pondered and dwelled on and thought about. So it was with these. Here it is almost six weeks later, and I'm still lingering there in my mind and still in awe that I was right in the middle of something very, very special.
The program soon ended, and I'd say that most were blessed by our gathering together, and that everyone enjoyed the evening. We had a grand time. We ladies in our new black outfits nodded approvingly to each other as we kicked off our shoes and hugged and congratulated ourselves. After all, we had put long, hard hours into this one performance. Time and effort had paid off. Funds were raised for scholarships, friends & families enjoyed the evening, and friendships grew even stronger. After cleaning up... it was finally time to say good night and to leave the festivities behind. So on Thursday evening, December 2, 2010, at 9:45 p.m. I gathered my musical notebook, tote bag, purse, the sticky cake carrier thing, and rhinestone earrings in hand. It was time to go home and call it a day, or a night... or so I thought.
Driving away from the building, I turned on my cell phone to check any missed calls or messages. The new text message from my son read: "We at hospital. She may be early..."!
"Oh, my gosh! She's not due until three weeks from now. Oh, my gosh, my gosh, gosh, gosh...!" With suddened teary eyes and with trembling limbs, I boldly executed a cock-eyed, wild-ride, illegal U-turn... right there in the middle of the street, in the middle of the city, right there in the middle of the big old state of Texas! This Granny-to-Be was on her way to the hospital... rhinestones, pink sticky icing on her clothes, and all. As I floor boarded it, I kept chanting loud and clear, clear across Texas... "I'm comin' kids... I'm comin'...! Hold on, Grammy's coming...!"
(to be continued...)
p.s. Never, ever add Marshmallow creme to your regular powdered sugar frosting! Big mistake!!!
Repaired cake. Yes... those are straws sticking out of it! Sigh...
Salvaged cake... Pink Strawberry Cake ready to be served! Viola'...
Strawberry Cake Recipe: http://yoohoocindylou.blogspot.com/p/food.html
@Copyright 2010, Cindy Lou Hodges All Rights Reserved.
*"Mary, Did You Know" song lyrics by Mark Lowry
