Mom has 1 granddaughter and 3 grandsons. Being the mother of 2 girls, she never really knew a lot about the goings on of little boys. When her first grandson, Joseph, was born she quickly learned!
Everyone knows the old verse about girls being made of sugar and spice and everything nice and boys being made of snips and snails and puppy dog tails. Honestly, that part about the boys seems sort of odd when you think about it. I suppose the writer just wanted to think of something opposite of sugar and spice.....bits of snail and puppy dog tails seems an odd choice to me, but snails and tails are slimy, dirty and a far cry from sugar and spice!
Joseph Porter Fitzpatrick has the great honor and distinction of being the first grandchild for Joe and Bea Porter. I am pretty sure there has never been a set of grandparents more excited or proud! There are probably plenty of grandparents out there who feel equally so, but none who could possibly surpass.
Joseph, of course, was a beautiful, sweet and well-behaved baby. And he has grown into a fine young man who has maintained his sweet and peaceful disposition. He never really fit the bill of the snips and snails and puppy dog tails. Although he was "all boy," he didn't live up to the reputation of being wild and loud and unruly. He was always able to entertain himself with whatever was at hand. He, like myself, has never understood the sentence "I'm bored."
Joseph is a wonderful musician and artist. He definitely inherited a creative gene. His creative talents far surpass mine, but our passion for such creativity is shared mutually.
James Marshall Fitzpatrick came along a little more than 3 years later. Now Mom had two of these male grandchildren, but by this time she was well aware and understanding of the goings on of little boys.
Even though Jimmy and Joseph never acted wild or loud nor did they fight with each other, Jimmy did fit into the description of little boys being made of snips and snails and puppy dog tails! In fact, I will never forget the time Jimmy came inside holding his hands palms up to me. I couldn't figure out what all that unusual slime was all over his hands. He proudly took me outside to show me all the slugs on the driveway that he had enjoyed picking up and squishing! He was always very busy and seemed to be able to get dirty doing just about anything.
Jimmy is a wonderful golfer and he does get bored sometimes, but his disposition is calm and sweet and quiet (until he gets in a room full of talkative Fitzpatricks!)
We were quite busy with soccer games, church, school, basketball, junior golf, friends, birthday parties and all of the other things that keep parents of active boys busy. Life was wonderful and those two boys brought a lot of joy to their parents, grandparents and a myriad of others.
After my dad, simply known then as Grandpop, passed away, some of the joy disappeared from our lives. The boys continued to keep us busy and gave us a reason to experience that unconditional love that only children can evoke. None of that changed....in fact, it actually became stronger and more important. God has a way of reminding us of what is important from time to time.
My mom has always said that when God takes someone from our earthly lives, He does something wonderful in return. We sort of view Madeline as one of those wonderful gifts.
Jim and I always wanted to have three children, but the timing for that third child was never right. After Daddy died, we agreed that life is too short and we felt that we didn't need to wait for some "perfect timing." Madeline Mills Fitzpatrick was born and brightened a lot of lives.
Joseph and Jimmy both immediately became exemplary older brothers. They were so attentive and helpful and never acted anyway towards Madeline other than proud and loving.
All three of my children still love to get together and laugh and have fun together. It makes me happy to know that they stay in touch with one another and that they truly do love each other. I know that my happiest moments are when I have the whole family together under one roof!
Madeline was sugar and spice and everything nice...she had no choice! With pink being my favorite color anyway, having a little girl after two boys meant that pink was the color of choice.....or rather, no choice! Grandma loved buying beautiful clothes for Madeline and I started a doll collection for her, as dolls were always my favorite things growing up.
But Madeline developed her own personality. Yes, she is sugar and spice, but she definitely has a few snips of snails and puppy dog tails thrown in! The fact that she is a dancer shows that. Dance is an amazingly athletic feat which requires a lot of coordination and strength. However, an audience sees grace and beauty when they watch a dance performance.
Although Madeline is the "baby" of the family, sometimes she acts the role of the matriarch. Her sense of family is very strong, and I know she will always be there to take charge and get the ball rolling if need be!
And last, but not least, Porter Leland Yelton came into the world six years later. Talk about a gift from God.....I know Martha and Bob were over the top excited as they had waited a long time for the experience of being parents. Porter, like the other 3 grandchildren, was immediately loved and adored! Madeline now had someone younger than herself to take charge of. And that she did!
Even though we live in Florida and Porter lives in North Carolina, Martha and I made sure we got together often so that the cousins could really get to know each other. Madeline and Porter grew exceptionally close and they remain that way today. Joseph and Jimmy were already much older and out on their own, so they tell me often that they hate they missed really being deeply involved in Porter's growing up years.
My wish is that as adults, they can all be close. And if we leave Madeline in charge, that is sure to happen.
Porter is about to turn 16. Although he's the baby of the family, he's not a baby at all. Watching him grow up and into the fine young man he is today has been one of the joys of my lifetime. Porter and I share a special bond, and I hope it continues. I know firsthand how special an aunt can be!
It is interesting that when one of Mom's grandchildren visits her, they often walk around the house and look at her things. Mom has beautiful and interesting things in her home, and we all love to look at them. Someone always points out the favorite piece that they like best.
Joseph always goes to a porcelain figurine of an oriental man. It stands on the floor in Mom's living room. It is a beautiful room, but probably the least used room in her home. Why Joseph always gravitates towards this piece, I don't know. I think Joseph's combination of being an artist and an avid reader explains some of this. I know that while he enjoys reading and studying many topics, Eastern philosophy and religions have always been of interest to him.
I cannot walk into that room without immediately looking down at that Confucius-looking figurine and thinking of my son. I guess it's a good thing since studies show that Confucius based his teachings on Chinese traditions and beliefs, which embraced strong familial loyalty, ancestor worship, and respect of elders by their children. He also is credited to have said "Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself," which is one of the earlier version of The Golden Rule....a rule we all try to abide by. So the next time I hear the phrase "Confucius says......" I will think of family loyalty and respect.
The piece in Mom's house that most intrigues Jimmy probably is a result of his make up of snips of snails and puppy dog tails! For some unknown reason, Mom has a brass figure of a snake swallowing a frog in her sunroom. Jimmy always talks about this piece and he finds it interesting that she has such a thing in her lovely home, especially knowing her dislike of snakes, other reptiles, and anything creepy-crawly. I think when she bought that piece, Daddy and all the rest of us thought she was off her rocker just a bit! This frog-swallowing snake will find its place in Jimmy's home one day I'm sure. It will be a reminder of one of Mom's wilder and crazier moments, and also a reminder that little boys are indeed made of snips and snails and puppy dog tails.
Porter has taken a liking to Mom's beautiful Swarovski crystal......in particular the larger pieces and even more precisely a large Swarovski pineapple with a golden top. I must say, Porter has excellent taste which can probably be attributed to his mother. Martha loved all things elegant, artistic and unusual. I'm sure that all the wonderful pieces in her home also have stories to tell! Swarovski crystal dates back as far as 1892 and its craftsmanship, quality and beauty are unsurpassed. This Swarovski pineapple sits in Mom's foyer and when the light is right, it sparkles and glistens and could be an attraction to most anyone. The foyer is an appropriate home for a piece such as this since the pineapple has been associated through the years as a symbol of welcome. I suppose one day when I see this pineapple in Porter's home I will think of Mom and I will feel welcomed. In the past and still today, the pineapple symbolizes family affection for home gatherings. There is certainly nothing more inviting to me than a home gathering and what it represents. I look forward to everyone gathering at Porter's house one day.
And last but not least comes the object that Madeline is attracted to when she visits Grandma's home. Unlike the boys who have chosen a piece that they like and admire and would enjoy displaying in their own homes some day, Madeline is drawn to a piece that she really doesn't care for at all.
One would think that clowns represent fun, comedy and happiness. Madeline has always been a class clown and the biggest clown in our family, yet she has a different opinion of clowns. She finds them frightening! Madeline has never been a kid who enjoyed "dressed up" characters. She shies away from the characters who want to shake your hand and give you a hug at Disney World and other theme parks. She never wanted to sit on Santa's lap or visit the Easter bunny at the mall. And she certainly never wanted to be approached by a clown! Again, this seems to be unusual behavior for a girl whose passion is dance and performing. Since she was a little girl she has dressed in costumes and make-up. I guess she doesn't mind this for herself, but when faced with costumed characters out of her element, she cares to have nothing to do with them!
Mom has a statue of a clown head on the counter in the bathroom. This bathroom is right across the hall from the bedroom Madeline always stays in when she visits Shelby, so she keeps her things in there and uses that room. When Madeline began encountering this statue, she would turn the clown head so that his face was not showing. Now that she is a college graduate and living on her own in Philadelphia, I guess she has decided to face her fear. She no longer turns the clown around, but I notice sometimes it has been pushed back away from her things! I often wonder if I will see that clown displayed in Madeline's home one day. If so, I think it will symbolize a journey of growth and change. And always it will remind me of Mom and visiting her home in Shelby.
I am glad Mom has had so many years of enjoyment of being a grandmother. I hope she has many more. Perhaps at some time that embroidered pillow will wind up at MY house. Then I will be anxious to hear what Mom has to say about the joys of being a great-grandmother! Maybe one day.
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| Confuscius Says...... |
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| Creepy-Crawly |
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| Funny or Fearsome? |
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| WELCOME |
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