My Grandma Giles and our Crazy Traditions

So my crazy sisters and I went out shopping on Black Friday as we always do every year. It is one of the MANY traditions my Mom and her family started a very long time ago. My mom and her mother (Grandma Giles) and sisters (Aunts Janet, Bobbie and Mary) went every year since I can remember to get all the early bird specials. When my sisters and I got a little older we were invited to go.

It really isn't about the sales for us, it is about being together and getting up so Early and going to breakfast and lunch and spending time together!! Getting the good deals is a bonus! We think it is kind of funny to see the crazy angry people that get so ferocious. We just laugh...."People..it is self inflicted, if you don't like it DON'T go!!!" We love it, it's really fun!

Since my Mom's family has grown so much it is really hard to coordinate who wants to go where, so the last two years we meet my Grandma, Aunts &cousins for lunch. It's cool when we run into our aunt's and cousin's which we usually do several times throughout the day.

This year was fun, we all met at Eva's at 3:30 a.m. shopped and shopped.
We met for lunch at Olive Garden with my cousins, Aunts and Grandma Giles.
As we were leaving the restaurant my Grandma was giving me a hug goodbye and she started weeping. Every time she weeps about my mother we all start weeping it's really hard to keep back the tears. She told me she was having a very rough day because she couldn't stop thinking about my Mother. She said that my Mother and her would stick it out until late hours in the night on Black Friday. She said my Mom was so determined to get most of the shopping done that day. She would keep my Grandmother going also.

My Grandma loves her family so much! She has had such a hard time with the loss of my Mother. We all have. I think it's hard for her because she is so close to all of her family, I know that all of us 9 girls have a lot of her in us, our personalities, looks and interests. We remind her of her daughter. I am so thankful to My Grandma for loving and caring for our family so much. I am grateful for the work and love she has put into her family. She raised such Amazing Daughters. She is so giving and she does so much for her children and Grandchildren. She has an amazing ability to make all of us feel so cared for and loved, I know who my mother took after!! I thank the Lord for the Family I was born into. I Thank the Lord for my Amazing Grandmother!!