{"id":571,"date":"2012-12-14T16:37:28","date_gmt":"2012-12-14T16:37:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kandynolesstevens.com\/?p=571"},"modified":"2012-12-14T16:37:28","modified_gmt":"2012-12-14T16:37:28","slug":"the-long-road-home-part-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/?p=571","title":{"rendered":"The long road home . . . Part 4"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"My<\/a>

My Nannie<\/p><\/div>\n

A week ago on Wednesday, we had the Celebration of Life for my Nannie.\u00a0 I was one of three family members who gave the eulogy with my mom and my uncle (her brother) being the other two.\u00a0 We each shared from our own recollections as Nannie\u2019s children and grandchildren.\u00a0 Last week, my Aunt Nernie (my mom\u2019s sister) wrote the sweetest thing on my Facebook wall.\u00a0 She affirmed that I was the light of Nannie\u2019s life as the oldest grandchild.\u00a0 (The truth is all of the grandchildren were the light of Nannie\u2019s life.\u00a0 I just happened to be the first.)<\/p>\n

Since I tend to embellish and paraphrase when I talk, my notes are not going to be exactly what I said that day, but I wanted to share with the whole world how absolutely wonderful my Nannie was to me.<\/p>\n

Remembering Nannie<\/strong> <\/em>\u2013<\/p>\n

I am Kandy Noles Stevens, and the oldest grandchild of Nannie (whom many of you know as Miss Katie).\u00a0 I travelled here from Minnesota not to say good-bye, because as Christians there are no good-byes.\u00a0 So I am here to say I will \u201cSee you soon\u201d and to share with you the grandkids perspective of who our Nannie was to us.<\/p>\n

My earliest memory in life involves my Nannie and Granddaddy.\u00a0 My family lived across the street from them at the time, and I cannot remember if my brother was being born or if he was having surgery.\u00a0 But nevertheless, I was at home being watched by my great-aunt.\u00a0 At some point during the day, a travelling circus or petting zoo came through our part of town, and somehow a billy goat got loose, running around the neighborhood.\u00a0 My great aunt was doing laundry in the carport at which point she got butted in the bumper.\u00a0 Then the goat started ramming its reflection in our picture window.\u00a0 I was panicked, and I did the only thing that made sense to my three year old little self.\u00a0 I decided to make a break for it.\u00a0 I took off across the street and I screamed, \u201cGranddaddy, Granddaddy save me!\u201d \u00a0My Nannie and Granddaddy came running.\u00a0 Their arms around me told me I was safe and secure.<\/p>\n

\"With<\/a>

With Nannie & Granddaddy<\/p><\/div>\n

My mom just shared that they came from humble beginnings, and that has not necessarily been my story.\u00a0 My parents moved us up from poverty to upper middle class.\u00a0 I was afforded things that my Nannie nor her kids could have ever dreamed possible.\u00a0 I have advanced degrees, and I have had lots of opportunities in life.\u00a0 With that said, there are some things that I will never do as well as my Nannie.<\/p>\n