Our first touch down was Denver- I am not sure what kept us on the ground longer than expected but a plane delay in the 80's meant some Freebies for the passengers. Dinner vouchers (free from the airline) because we were going to be in Denver over dinner were handed out and my nana told my cousin Sally and I to find us some dinner........When your 13, twenty 'airport bucks' seems like a bottomless pit of spending- It was fun walking around the airport carefully selecting what we wanted to eat :)
I still remember looking out and seeing all the lights when we landed in St. Paul, Minnesota, our final destination, and also my Nana's home state when she was growing up.........This is where I had been pointed to if I wanted to know what it felt like to be in below zero temp's, ice skate, and have your wet hair frozen to your head (yep, I tried it while my cousin Sally looked on)....I really think the Mall of America was calling my name even back then but, because my shopping maturity was limited to Goodwill (still love that store) and our local J.C. Penny, I did not recognize the 'call' right then.........I mean, for the love of Pete, it was in complete ignorance that I choose to visit the city that houses the LARGEST MALL in America.........I was born to shop!! (side note for Deb & Kristi- I still have not forgot about Seven's fabulous Kimmie's...darn that they are so new and so expensive)
I sat with my precious Nana today and we talked about our Minnesota trip- We talked about the fact that we stayed with Nana's best friend (since 5th grade) Margeurite and how Nana and Margeurite still keep in touch..........how it's possible to be friends with someone for 80 years. As we were talking about our trip my cousin Sally walked in the door- Sal and nana are neighbors...Sal comes over everyday and helps my nana remember to take her medications and manage daily life.
Here Nana, Sally, and I were 25 years later, all in the same room, talking about a trip we had all 3 taken together............a trip that was a gift from our Nana.
As I was getting ready to leave Nana's house today I asked if I could look through her photo albums to grab a few pictures of our trip... I could not find the pictures but did come across a picture of Nana and Margeurite.
There are so many gifts we give others in life- One's we recognize during the giving, one's we recognize later, and some we may never recognize.......some will be monetary, some will be words(the gift of encouragement is one example), and some will be a gesture (a hug or smile). Some gifts will be talked about for a moment and some will touch generation after generation.
I am blessed to be the grand daughter of Harriet Hagen Chamberlain
I am blessed to be able to pass the Legacy she has left and is still leaving on to my children and someday my grandchildren
'Thank you Lord Jesus for my Nana.....Please guard and keep her as she begins her 90th year....Please fill her heart with the knowledge that she has left and is still leaving so many precious gifts to those around her.'
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