It's Funny The Things You Remember...

I recently ran across a post on Facebook of a friend that, as an adult, has an ear infection. I instantly had a memory of my mom heating up some kind of oil or something, putting it in my ear followed by a cotton ball and I laid there with my head in her lap. I don't remember the pain of the ear infection but I remember laying my head in her lap and knowing I would be ok. (To my mom: it was in that chair, next to the hallway of the mobile home...LOOOONG before the house was built). Anyway, it's strange the memories I have of my childhood, it's strange the things I can remember but no one else does. Perhaps it's because I was so impressionable at such a young age. Who knows. While many of you really don't care about this, it's something I feel like getting out there. After remembering that incident of an ear infection around the age of 3 or 4, many things came to mind. Here are a few of my earliest memories, not in chronological order and this is not an exhaustive list:

1. Shortly after moving to Gunter (I think), I remember being in the mobile home, back porch not yet built (there were stairs at the sliding glass door). The person watching me/us, Grandad Williams.

2. I remember being in a truck with some family members (not sure who all was there but I do know Cindy and maybe Christy?) and it broke down just south of Celina (near where the Shell station is now?).

3. I remember being in my Dad's truck, I think it was red/white? I was standing in the seat, wearing boots and I got mud on that seat. I knew it wasn't a good thing.

4. My dad sat me in his lap as we were driving down the road and I GOT to drive!

5. I remember when Pappaw would always do something to me I didn't like, like pinch my cheek or something silly, he'd say "I'm sorry, do you accept my apology?" Something to that effect. So one time, he asked and I thought (literally remember this), "What if I say no?", so I said, "No" or shook my head, I remember feeling like I actually hurt his feelings....FYI, he was holding me at the time! Not sure how old I was then.

6. I remember learning to ride a bike without training wheels...I believe it was Fall or Winter, there was no green grass, it was brown. Someone, I think my Dad, was pushing me on my bike between our house and Mammaw & Pappaw's house.

7. I remember wanting to stay the night at Donna & Billy's house and poking my Dad in the eye (not intentionally). It was the house in Carrollton next to the RR track.

8. I remember the day Donna had her aneurysm. We were having corn dogs for dinner, when the phone rang...

9. I remember when DeeDee lived with us and sat outside our door in a rocking chair to make sure we stayed in bed. I also remember when she referred to George Michael as a "hunk" and wondering what that meant while wondering if Boy George was a man or a woman...as she watched music videos in the living room.

10. I remember when my parents built the house, my mom kept saying, "For Christmas, we're going to tie a big red bow around this house." She lied. I literally thought we were not gonna have any gifts, only the house (for which I was truly grateful). However, Santa came to visit...again. Best. Christmas. Ever. lol

11. Speaking of Christmas, I swear I remember one night waking up to SEE Santa. I saw him that night, looking at family pictures (I promise, he was wearing the "uniform" and everything!)....I could SWEAR (to this day) he was there (if it was my Dad dressed as Santa, please don't kill that memory lol). So, maybe that's why I love the holiday's so much...it's not about the money or the hassle, it's about being with my family and that *certain* magic that's continuously in the air that time of year.

As I said before, this list is definitely not exhaustive. Hell, I remember when my cousin Brandi was born, the day Grandad Williams passed and what Nanny Williams wore that day, the green room/the mini-organ/Doublemint gum at Nanny Rhea's....and, of course, holiday's everywhere...Pappaws "film" camera (where is that video BTW? It was made into VHS at some point, I want to copy it!)...I'll never forget it all. I remember so much that, when it comes to these holidays especially, it becomes so sentimental that I try to enjoy every aspect.

I actually remember my childhood and I would not change that for the world.