Grandparents Visit

The upcoming weekend has me thinking about my maternal grandparents, “Mimi” and “Deda”. Mimi and Deda live about 15 miles from my home and have been a huge part of my life. They have attended all significant events, and many not so significant events, throughout my life. The most important thing about them is that they make time for me and make me feel special. They have four grandsons, of which I am the oldest, and treat everyone as if they were the most wonderful and unique individuals in the world. I think everyone should have quality grandparents like I have and feel fortunate that I am lucky enough to have them. My father’s parents are also local but favor some grandchildren over others, like they did with their own children. This messes people up and has created problems within the family, but I don’t let it bother me.

I should probably explain their names first. Since I am the oldest grandchild, I can take credit for naming them. I was a little over a year old when my brother was baptized. We have a lot of family in town, including my mother’s grandparents who drove in from Texas. My mom calls her grandparents “Memaw” and “Pepaw.” I was learning to talk and during that weekend started saying, “Mimimimi,” probably imitating my mom calling her grandmother, “Memaw”. I don’t know exactly how, but they say that I mainly said “Mimimi” to my grandmother, so she became, “Mimi.” My grandfather was supposed to be “Granddad,” but I could not say “Granddad.” I got the syllables right, but it came out as “Deda.” Everyone thought that was funny, but the name stuck, and now I have a Mimi and Deda. My uncle’s much younger sons also call my grandparents Mimi and Deda. I think other people probably have a “Mimi,” but I doubt anyone besides us has a “Deda.” I don’t even think about how weird it sounds now. My friends have sometimes asked when they have been over when my grandparents were around, “What do you call your Grandfather? Deda?”

Anyway, Mimi and Deda have an annual tradition of taking me and my brother (a year younger than me) on short summer trips. These excursions are usually two or three days at Ocean Isle Beach or Nags Head, followed by a couple of days visiting a historical site, such as Jamestown or Colonial Williamsburg, on our way home. They have been doing this since we were about four and five years old, and it is something I look forward to and have never outgrown. This past summer was a little different because my brother would be at Boys State and Governor’s School and I had VT Orientation on the calendar, so we had to get a quick, short trip in at the beginning of summer as soon as school got out. (Fairfax County schools don’t get out until later in June.) This year we cut out the beach trip and made a three day trip (July 1 – 3) to Philadelphia instead. That was an amazing trip. I have always enjoyed history and the city is unique compared to D.C. and Richmond. We began our trip by visiting the Independence Visitor Center and then headed towards the Liberty Bell and Independence Square, where Independence Hall, Congress Hall, and the Supreme Court Chamber are. Congress Hall was the Congress and Senate’s first building, where the terms “Upper & Lower Houses” for the Senate and Congress were derived, because the upper floor of the building was where the Senate met, and the lower floor was where the House of Representatives met. We also took a Duck tour of the city, where we saw the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall & Congress Hall again, and also Washington Square, Society Hill, Merchant’s Exchange, Ben Franklin’s Grave, The Mint, Betsy Ross’ House, Christ Church, Franklin Court, and several other places.

The reason I thought to write about my grandparents is they are making a trip down to Tech to see me this Friday afternoon. (I am working on my blog early since I won’t have as much time later in the week.) My grandmother has reserved a room at a hotel in downtown Blacksburg so we will be close to the campus and I will meet them after class in the afternoon. I know they are anxious to see me, my dorm room, and walk the campus. (My Uncle Dave went to Tech in the late 1980s.) My mom is also sending down printer ink and other supplies I am running low on, some food, and warmer clothing. (I thought one hoodie would be enough for fall. I realize now I may need an extra hoodie, cooler weather clothes for jogging, and possibly my winter coat before I go home for Thanksgiving. It gets a lot cooler here earlier in the year than I realized.) I know that my parents will be coming down for Parents’ Weekend later in the month, but my mom keeps worrying about swine flu and also wanted to get me these things now since my grandparents will be coming down earlier. My grandmother has also asked what special foods she can bring down when they visit. (I have a small frig in my dorm room that I can put some stuff in.) Mimi has frozen a couple of slices of her home made pizza that I like so well to bring down.

I will probably stay in the hotel with Mimi and Deda Friday night since we will already be together and so that we can do something Saturday morning without my waking my roommate up, who likes to sleep in. I don’t think they will be staying too late into Saturday since I have so much school work to do each weekend.