It's not easy, sitting here writing a message to be read today, high in the Maluti mountains of Southern Africa, in the Kingdom of Lesotho, so far from home and family. Out my window, I can see one of the shepherd boys up on the hill with his flock, moving across the side of the barren mountain, protecting his family's most precious possessions seeking a green pasture among the yellowing autumn vegetation. What am I doing here? As I reflect on it... I blame Nana!
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> Talk about endlessly wandering, in search of the next green pasture! Nana moved... a lot! Apparently, this particular gene was passed down from her great grandpa Archie, who brought his family from Ireland. She in turn seems to have passed it through my mom to my sister and I. And yet... no matter where Nana was, like a good shepherd, she was always present, keeping an eye on her growing and growing... and growing and growing flock. I can still hear her voice on the weekly cassette tapes she and Pop Pop would send when they first moved to Arizona when I was 6 or 7.
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> They say memories are often triggered by association with a smell, or a sound, or a particular place. This could explain why so many of us here are filled with memories of precious moments spent with Nana... no matter which street, road, or highway we drive down in the Tri-town area, we can remember when Nana lived in that house! The same thing happens when you drive through the East Valley of Phoenix or Bergen County with Mom and Aunt Bev!
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> Many of us here have helped Nana move... and many of us helped her move many, many, many times. A cynic might think that she moved so much because she was never happy with where she was. As one of her favorite grandchildren (there are a lot of us who were her favorite!) I can tell you that wasn't it at all. Just the fact that she had so many lasting connections with the many, many, many neighbors and friends that she collected along the way proves that for Nana, it was all about the promise of new connections, and more precious moments. I get that! Every fool knows you can't be everyone's next-door neighbor, but that shouldn't keep a wise woman like Nana from trying!!!
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> A drive across country with Nana (I know many present today have had this experience) was an adventure. I was lucky enough to drive from Apache Junction to Unadilla twice... two huge collections of precious moments that will always be with me. Both times the journey started smoothly, full of promise of quality time and amazing memories. On one trip, we started out on a route through Payson. Nana loved Payson - it reminded her of her trip to Switzerland. I've never been to Switzerland. When I think of Switzerland, for some reason I think of Nana's flower beds. From the wishing well, trellis, and lupine in her flower beds on Masonville hill to the Bouganville and birdbath we planted and painted together at 227 Tomahawk, Switzerland means flowers means Nana to me. She and I always imagined opening a nursery together. In fact we talked about it as we had lunch in Payson, if I recall.
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> That night, our first stopover was at a Motel 6 in Winslow Arizona. As we readied for bed, Nana came out of the bathroom, having taken out her teeth. I reminded her of the time (she hates this story!) that Tammi and I spent the summer with her in Apache Junction, and she took us to see E.T. That night, she came out to kiss us goodnight, and it dawned on both Tammi and I just how much Nana looked like ET without her teeth. In a good, cute, loving, buried among the stuffed animals on her bed sort of way!
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> Back on the road, we stopped for dinner in Amarillo - my first meal at an Olive Garden! I don't remember what I had, but I remember the bread! Trust me, put unlimited fresh baked bread on the table, and Nana would be your number one customer for life!!!
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> Now these road trips weren't always without stress or risk. Tornado warnings in Oklahoma City, driving rain in Little Rock, disagreements on whether to stop here for the night or continue on to there, or three generations of very similar people being cooped up in a K-car for 8 days the time mom joined us, difficult moments arose, as they often do in life. But its the good times, the laughter, and the Andy Williams show in Branson that we'll remember.
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> Precious moments.
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> Anyone who has been to visit Nana has seen her collection of Precious Moment figurines featuring scenes from the 23rd Psalm. She got those when we stopped at the Precious Moments factory on one of our cross-country journeys. She got so excited when she saw them, she just had to have them. They have since been prominently displayed beside the photos of the great grandkids in the living room of every house and apartment she and Ernie have lived. Halfway around the world, I can tell you on which shelf they sit today.
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> Today, I choke up when I think of all the symbolism they hold for me when I remember my Nana. The collection of precious moments she gave me... gave each of us. How precious each of her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, her great great grandchild, loved ones, friends and neighbors was to her, and how she cherished each and every connection with love and care, like a porcelain figurine. And the journey embodied in the 23rd Psalm represented on those porcelain figurines, that, like the cross country road trips, and the lives, that each of us shared with Nana, started out with green pastures and still waters, went through the occasional storm or shadow, but always with Nana by our side offering unconditional love, guidance, and comfort, and always ending in goodness, and precious moments to cherish. Indeed, with the Lord as her shepherd, Nana's 96 years have been the embodiment of the 23rd Psalm she cherished so very much. An amazing lady... a shepherd herself who cared for, watched over, and led her flock in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. No matter how much we miss her, surely goodness and mercy - and our memories of Nana - will follow us all of our days... Nana has gone on to dwell in the house of the Lord, forever!
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> And today and forever more, our cups runneth over, with precious moments spent with Nana!
