We’ve started experiencing some fall weather around here, which has had our boys digging in boxes and drawers for long-sleeved PJs to sleep in. Malachi appeared one evening in my very favorite pair of all of his jammies, and shucks if I didn’t immediately have to drop everything I was doing and squeeze the life out of him for several minutes.
What’s so special about this pair of pajamas? Well first of all, I think we can agree that kids in pajamas are about the snuggliest and cutest around. So any pair of PJs on my kids makes my heart flop. But it just so happens that this particular pair of jammies was worn by all four of our boys. All of them. Asa got them as a gift when he was about five years old. He wore them for a couple of years, then when he outgrew them, they became Justus’. Then Elias inherited them. Now Malachi is wearing them.
Let’s all pause a moment and recognize with amazement that such a well made article of clothing exists, and that it has survived in our house through eleven years and four boys without being torn, stained, lost, hung on a flag pole, used as a sling shot, or stretched across the hallway to create a catapult. Indeed, for an entire decade, we have somehow kept track of both the top and the bottom of this matching set of sleepwear, and the elastic is not stretched to the size of Santa. If only we could pass down tennis shoes in this way. Shoot, I’d even settle for a pair of shoes that last through one season and one boy without the sole flopping off or the toe poking through or the foot growing by three sizes in one afternoon. But anyway…
Malachi was thrilled to hear that what he was wearing had been worn by all of his brothers, even the one who is now well over six feet tall. All of the boys chimed in with “oh yeah, I remember those pajamas.” We all inhaled deeply, joined hands, and enjoyed a moment together as we gazed at each other with tears in our eyes. By that I mean that the pajama conversation lasted about four seconds because the boys quickly moved on with life by sticking their heads in the fridge to find something else to eat before bed.
But I wasn’t quite ready to let it rest. “Asa,” I asked, “Do you remember who gave you those?”
He hesitated, because as I said, he had already moved on to thinking about his cheese stick and the pajama conversation was so thirty seconds ago. But then he remembered. “Oh yeah. It was Grammy wasn’t it?”
Indeed. My mom had picked those out for her firstborn grandson. She had no idea at the time that the pajamas would make their way through four growing and busy boys. And we had no idea how special they would become someday – worn so many years later by the grandson who never had the privilege of meeting her.
Who knew a simple pair of pajamas would be such a treasure?
Share how God is working in your life on your blog, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for! Please read through the Gratituesday Guidelines so that you understand what kinds of posts you can link up to share here. Posts that are linked but do not fit our Gratituesday theme will be deleted.
If you are linking up a blog post for Gratituesday, please copy and paste the following sentence into your post! Thanks!
Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!
Karen S. says
Beautiful memories!
Lisa says
She was a gem….and she knew quality. :)
Janelle @ The Smudge Curve says
My mother died before I got married, so I totally understand how precious it is to have something from her for your children. I’m so glad God has given you those memories!
Jill Roper says
My Mom died before I ever remembered her. I too treasure things that make me count my blessings. Today I wrote on my blog the story of baby A2. I restart the alphabet to keep track of the births. It was special. God bless you today Laura. I remember your Mama with a smile.
Cindy says
Made me tear up. Great memories yes.
Jessica says
Oh I LOVE those stories…. so amazing.
Missy Homemaker says
What a blessing to have something so simple, yet so dear to your whole family. Precious boy, too.
Ann Marie says
It truly is the simple things in life that can bring such joy! There are eight years between my boys (with two girls to fill the space in between) but I kept most everything from my oldest, knowing eventually it would be needed. I love it when my oldest looks at his little brother, grabs him up in a big hug and proceeds to tell the little how he remembers wearing (whatever the little happens to be wearing) when he was his age. The expressions of awe, that big brother could have ever been that size, always fill me with gratitude. My heart just swells to bursting when I see such tender, loving moments between my boys.
Charlotte Moore says
How special for all of you. Thank the LORD for sweet memories for each of us when we make them.
Tracie says
How precious! You should save them so that you can pass them to the next generation, when the time comes! That will allow your boys to speak about their Grammy to their children. My mother-in-law completed a quilt that my husband’s grandmother began to make for her great-grandchildren before she passed. We plan to pass it down through our children when they start their families.
Jill says
That reminds me of my first bathing suit that I wore when I was a year old. It was hot pink. I’m the oldest of 27 grandkids and that pink swimsuit was passed around to ALL my sisters and girl cousins. it was a pink-ish grey by the time the last girl cousin wore it. I think our moms did it just to see how far they could go with it.
Deloris says
Well I just want to hug the tears out of Malachi, he is such a cutie … especially sporting the traditional PJ’s! You are SO blessed.
Jennifer says
That story made me cry, in a good way of course! I am so glad you still have those precious jammies with all the wonderful memories attached to them :) And I know what you mean about kids in pajamas being snuggly and adorable. My boys are 3 and 1, and I really hope they still let me snuggle them when they are as grown up as your boys!
Lori Duncan says
Touching story, they grow up so fast.
Sheila says
Thank you for sharing this sweet story. Made me cry. :)
Kellee B. says
A garment is just a garment, until a sweet grand-daughter is wearing the same pink outfit her mama came home from the hospital in. That’s when I reflect on how blessed I am, and how time has flown!
Ann says
Awwww! Now, that’s what I call a super hand-me-down! I’ve been really focusing on gratitude for the small things lately. What a perfect example of pure and simple gratitude….grammy’s jammies! Love it! :)
Ann @ Christ in the Clouds
Amy @ Finer Things says
Lance’s mom is “Grammy” at our house…
Cleansing tears. ;)
Laura says
Crying with you, praying for you. I love that yours is a Grammy too. Such a sweet name for a sweet role they play in our kids’ lives. I know you must have many special gifts from her that you will always treasure.