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| A 4 year old Danielle with her grammys. And her photo bombing uncle Tom. |
This post is dedicated to the two women to whom much of my talent and love for all things baked can be attributed to-my Grandma Davis and my Grandma Wagner.
For as far back as I can remember, I have loved everything these women made. I can remember Christmas Eve at Grandma Wagner's (whom I fondly refer to as "Graham Cracker"), carefully helping her roll out, cut out and later decorate sugar cookies. Any part of the mixing process she let me do made me feel SO very important, and she always let me lick the beaters. She had to be fair, so she'd also give my brother a beater. I'm sure we had debates about who got more icing on theirs. I also loved to put sprinkles on the cookies...what little girl didn't love a never ending supply of frosted cookies to put sprinkles on?? I'm sure the fact that the sprinkles reminded me of glitter probably had something to do with it...
As for my Grandma Davis, holidays at her house stand out to me the most. She always made this very simple, but very yummy corn dish. Almost like cornbread, but more moist. Corn cake? I don't know, but I'm sure many of you have had it at your family gatherings. What in the WORLD makes it so delicious? I'm guessing lots of butter and milk or cream. Whatever it was, I knew I could always look forward to it every Thanksgiving and Christmas.
After she passed away unexpectedly in 2006, family gatherings were never the same. I'm sure we've all experienced similar feelings, because most of us have lost loved ones. For my family, my Grandma was the "glue that held everything together." She was always reliable, always there, and most importantly, always loving. Even 6 years later, things still aren't the same. I don't know how many times I wish that I could call her to ask advice on a recipe, or just to drive over to her house for a visit. She had experienced so much LIFE (much of it wasn't easy), and was so real to me. I was just beginning to appreciate that about her when she passed. If I stop and think about it, I'm saddened greatly by the fact that she has already missed some big milestones in my life, and will miss many more. But yet I'm comforted by the fact that her memory isn't far from me. Every time I bake a cheesecake I'm reminded of her, because that's where my recipe came from. I'm so very grateful for the years I had with her, for those times when I would ask if I could have a bowl of "Life" cereal & she'd made me give her a kiss first, and her special nickname for me-"Lover." I wonder what she would think of me today? Hopefully I'm turning into a young lady that would make her proud.
The most important thing I have learned from both of these beautiful women isn't how many cups of sugar there are in a cake recipe or how to properly mix cheesecake batter-it is how to love. My Grandma Wagner pours herself into each and every family dinner, and although she's in her mid 80s and gets tired more easily these days, she still makes special occasions lovely and brings a little treat to every family gathering (if it's not hosted at her house). Grandma Davis would always encourage me to get something from the fridge or offer to fix me a plate of something, even if we'd only eaten a few hours before. Their love transcended their baked goods and filtered down into each and every person they came into contact with and both women were/are about as humble as you can get.
As I bake and carry on their legacies, I try to pour that same amount of love and care into each and every thing that comes out of my kitchen. I strive first and foremost to honor God with the gift he's given me, but I strive also to honor those strong women who have taught me so much, and whose love continues to influence my life each and everyday.
Choose to love today.
After she passed away unexpectedly in 2006, family gatherings were never the same. I'm sure we've all experienced similar feelings, because most of us have lost loved ones. For my family, my Grandma was the "glue that held everything together." She was always reliable, always there, and most importantly, always loving. Even 6 years later, things still aren't the same. I don't know how many times I wish that I could call her to ask advice on a recipe, or just to drive over to her house for a visit. She had experienced so much LIFE (much of it wasn't easy), and was so real to me. I was just beginning to appreciate that about her when she passed. If I stop and think about it, I'm saddened greatly by the fact that she has already missed some big milestones in my life, and will miss many more. But yet I'm comforted by the fact that her memory isn't far from me. Every time I bake a cheesecake I'm reminded of her, because that's where my recipe came from. I'm so very grateful for the years I had with her, for those times when I would ask if I could have a bowl of "Life" cereal & she'd made me give her a kiss first, and her special nickname for me-"Lover." I wonder what she would think of me today? Hopefully I'm turning into a young lady that would make her proud.
The most important thing I have learned from both of these beautiful women isn't how many cups of sugar there are in a cake recipe or how to properly mix cheesecake batter-it is how to love. My Grandma Wagner pours herself into each and every family dinner, and although she's in her mid 80s and gets tired more easily these days, she still makes special occasions lovely and brings a little treat to every family gathering (if it's not hosted at her house). Grandma Davis would always encourage me to get something from the fridge or offer to fix me a plate of something, even if we'd only eaten a few hours before. Their love transcended their baked goods and filtered down into each and every person they came into contact with and both women were/are about as humble as you can get.
As I bake and carry on their legacies, I try to pour that same amount of love and care into each and every thing that comes out of my kitchen. I strive first and foremost to honor God with the gift he's given me, but I strive also to honor those strong women who have taught me so much, and whose love continues to influence my life each and everyday.
Choose to love today.
What a beautiful tribute to your grandmothers, Danielle! Thanks for posting!...Kathy Rice
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