There are people that we come in contact with every day. Andthen there are people we meet that make major impacts on our livesin very profound ways.

For me, there are two people that fill that spot – mygrandparents.

I’ve been pretty fortunate in that I’ve always had my maternalgrandparents in my life. I still do. They are 86 and 89.

Some people never get the opportunity to know their grandparentsthe way I have and that’s just unfortunate. My grandparents are areal blessing in my life.

It’s no secret to anyone who knows me that I’m a Paw-paw’s girl. Ialways have been.

I’ve been told that when I was born, he was one of the first in myfamily to hold me. We’ve had a special bond every since.

They have definitely lived up to the “grand” in their names in manyways.

I’ve spent a lot of time with my grandparents.

As a youngster, my family lived across the street from mygrandparents, so I practically lived at their house. There probablywasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t visit.

Every afternoon after I’d get home from school, my first stop afterdropping off my books at my house was a trip across the street tosee what my grandmother had been doing all day and then asnack.

I spent many, many afternoons lying in the floor of her living roomin front of the television watching afternoon TV shows and eating abowl of sliced dill pickles. We had a TV at home but there wassomething much better about watching it at Maw-maw’s.

Even younger than grade school, I could always be found not farfrom my grandparents.

My grandmother said even before I could walk, Paw-paw would take meto the grocery store with him, tucked under his coat. He’d prop meup in the seat of the grocery cart with paper towel rolls.

There weren’t many places that he’d go that I wasn’t too farbehind.

My grandparents like to tell the story of my grandfather building atravel trailer when I was 2 or 3 years old. He had meticulouslyseparated all of his nails and screws, only to find that I had satdown and mixed them all together.

I was helping Paw-paw.

Or when I started school and they had decided to go on vacation toFlorida – without me. I made such a spectacle that they spoke withmy teacher and took me out of school for a couple of weeks so Icould travel with them.

Their vacations from then on were planned in the summermonths.

Even when my family moved to Wyoming and then Texas, they werealways there every chance they got. They’d pack up their motor homeand spend a month or so visiting with us.

My siblings and I always enjoyed those visits. A lot of timesMaw-maw would cook, not that my Mother didn’t cook well – it justalways tasted better when Maw-maw did it.

Maw-maw doesn’t prepare that many big meals now, but when we havefamily get-togethers, her potato casserole is always high on therequest list.

Just up until a few months ago, we’d eat out several times a week.When our meal was over, my grandfather would always slip me adollar so I could buy a soft drink during the afternoon at work. Ialways told him that wasn’t necessary; after all, I’m a grown47-year-old woman. But he always insisted. I called those myPaw-paw dollars.

We’ve made a lot of memories over the years. I’ve been veryfortunate.

Unfortunately, our roles drastically changed in May when mygrandfather suffered a stroke. Where my grandparents have alwaysbeen there for me, now I’m here for them.

It’s been tough adapting to my new role, but it’s one I’m gladlyaccepting.

Paw-paw has always been the strong one in our family and taken careof us all. Now it’s my turn to take on that responsibility and totake care of him and my grandmother. I’ve had “grand” role models.They’ve taught me well.

Happy Grandparents Day, Maw-maw and Paw-paw. I love y’all!

And how was your week?

Lifestyles Editor Tammie Brewer can be reached at The DAILY LEADERat (601) 833-6961 ext. 144, by e-mail at tbrewer@dailyleader.com oryou can write to her at P.O. Box 551, Brookhaven MS 39602.