Pop Pop Epistle #37 – About Your Nona

Dear Grandkids,

2 weeks ago I celebrated my 60th birthday. Today, your Nona joins me in the 60 year old club. We have been married for almost 37 of those years. Genesis 2:18 says, “Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” Your Nona was definitely made especially for me. She is the perfect “fit” for me. She is an awesome wife, mother, and grandmother. I wanted to write down some things about her that you may or may not know – you can ask her more about these some time when you are older.

• She was born at Baptist Hospital in Winston Salem and then grew up in Kernersville, NC.
• She had childhood TB (tuberculosis) when she was 2 years old. For some reason she  began asking for a pink Christmas tree at this time but got a pink angel that still adorns our Christmas tree each year.
• She grew up with a mom and a dad who loved each other, with 2 older sisters that she is very close to, and a beloved dog (a dachshund) named Snoopy.
• She was a cheerleader for the Kernersville Raiders in the Pop Warner League.
• She attended East Forsyth High School in Winston-Salem and was the valedictorian of her graduating class in 1976.
• She was Chief of the Eaglettes – a dance team that performed with the marching band at her high school football games.
• She graduated from UNC-Greensboro in 1980 and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.
• She attended NC State University where she received her Master’s Degree in Counseling.
• She grew up attending Sedge Garden United Methodist Church. She became a follower of Jesus through the influence of her sister Anne while in college. And then began attending a baptist church after we got married.
• She loves the Lord, treasures His Word, and is continually learning what it means to abide in Christ.
• She met the man who would be her future husband (that would be me) in Galveston, Texas on a Campus Crusade for Christ Beach Project in June of 1979.
• She began running that summer when she saw me running and didn’t stop for 35 years – until I encouraged her to transition to walking in her late 50s.
• She broke her back when she was in college.
• She worked as a medical receptionist for a surgeon before she became a mom.
• She loves being a mom. She has 3 awesome kids who have grown up to be 3 awesome adults who became awesome parents themselves with awesome kids of their own.
• She spent many years meeting with other moms each week to pray for your parents (and the other mom’s kids) – which accounts in no small way as to why your parents are so awesome.
• She was a stay at home mom until your parents were fairly independent then worked as a school counselor at Carrington Middle School for about 13 years.
• She just retired from that job so that she has more time to hang out with you and to help your parents anyway that she can.
• She has generally had good health but was involved in a scooter accident in India in 2011 that has caused some ongoing issues.
• She has lived in 5 cities: Kernersville NC (1958-1976), Greensboro NC (1976-1980), Raleigh NC (1980-1981), Ipswich MA (1981-1983), Raleigh NC (1983-1993), and Durham, NC (1993- present)
• She watches very little television but she does love 2 shows: Jeopardy and The Amazing Race.
• She loves to cook and bake and make Nona bread for you. She loves to work outside in the yard and to grow flowers – especially Iris’ because they were favorites of her Mom.
• She is meticulous when it comes to details and especially values organization.
• She is a beach lover (Sunset Beach is her favorite) and especially loves the weeks at the beach that she can spend with you.
• She considers herself incredibly blessed and lives gratefully for all that the Lord has done for her and in her.
• Her grandma name for you all came about this way: None of the options that she came up were approved by your parents so as grandchild #1 approached we had NO NAme. So she became Nona.
• You will notice from these pictures that she is still a stunning woman even in her “senior” years. She has most definitely aged better than me.

Hopefully you will have a chance to talk to her today and wish her a very happy birthday. I promise that it will be the highlight of her day.

Never ever forget that you are very loved!

Pop Pop