At debrief in the Dominican Republic I did something none of my family members expected. I got a tattoo. It’s nothing big, just one word, it is small and on my finger, it is the word “luv”. Why in the world would I get the word luv on my finger? To you it’s just a word, but to me it means a lot. I got this tattoo because of my grandparents and here is why…
About a year ago I was cleaning my room. I came across of a bunch of Birthday/Christmas/Easter cards that I kept throughout the years. There was a stack of cards from my grandparents and at the end of each card my grandma signed it “luv Mumu and pap”. Yes, I call my grandma Mumu, No, I don’t know why. Every single card had the word luv.
Now a little bit about my grandparents. Before I was born, they bought a cabin up in the Adirondacks in New York. It was on a lake called Fern Lake and every year we would go up. It was the most fun especially as a kid because we got to do whatever we wanted, a kids dream! From fishing to racing remote control boats in the lake to dancing with Fran to going to the small beach across the lake to taking the motor boat out to the middle of the lake and jumping off, it was one of the best ways to spend the summer and I’m thankful that that was part of my childhood. I luv both of you so much!
My grandpa, Pap he use to be in charge of making sure everything followed the plan construction wise. A couple examples, the walkway/buildings going into Hershey Park, Founders Hall at the Milton Hershey school, and designed and built multiple houses, half his house, a fountain on their back porch (which was a present for my mom on her 5th birthday) and the four car garage in their backyard. Yeah, he was the real deal!! A couple years before I was born, he was diagnosed with M.S.. I remember him walking with a walker but I never saw him walk on his own. Over the years it started getting worse and now he has a wheelchair because his right arm and both his legs are paralyzed. He learned how to write with his left hand but he still needs assistance on day to day activities. One thing that I noticed recently that he does with the little neighbor kids or my cousins is no matter how he is feeling that day, he will always make them laugh. He’ll make noises, or wiggle his ears, or call them by the wrong name on purpose and that is one thing I love that he does! He also loves having the family over! Every year him and my grandma host the family breakfast. We have one day that the whole family comes over and we make a huge breakfast. Pancakes, bacon, eggs, cinnamon rolls, you name it, we probably have it! It is one of my favorite traditions that we have. Also, while I’m writing this I’m currently eating a chocolate bar and it reminded me of when I would come over everyday and steal your cut up chocolate haha! So thank you pap for being strong. Thank you for trying your best to make the grandkids and neighbors happy even if you aren’t feeling well. And thank you for everything that you have given and taught me over the years.
Now onto my grandma, Mumu. When I was little, Mumu would watch me everyday because my mom was a teacher. I remember playing go fish with pap and setting up folders and books so he wouldn’t cheat! Mumu and I would color. I remember coloring cinderella coloring books because she was my favorite princess. I also remember this one time up at the cabin, it was pitch black outside and I was curled up on Mumu lap watching cinderella with her. She would take me to the circus and to look at Christmas lights. We’ve always been really close and I think having them live right next door helps too! She has been taking care of my grandpa all day everyday once he was diagnosed with M.S.. She was his nurse. From waking him up everyday to getting him dressed and taking him downstairs for food and whatever they did that day, she was there taking care of him. She is the strongest woman I know. Most people probably would have given up and hired a real nurse or put him in a home but she could never do that so she does everything. Some days are hard and some days are easy but she keeps that positive attitude no matter what and I admire that about her. My mom told me a couple months ago that everyday she reads her bible and prays over each of the grandkids. Once she told me that I never forgot it. I believe that Mumu is the definition of the Noble Wife in Proverbs 31. I went through and picked out a couple verses in that chapter that describe her perfectly…
12: She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
17: She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
25: She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at days to come.
26: She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
29: Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.
She is a Woman of God and I aspire to be just like her one day. So thank you Mumu for everything. Thank you for being yourself. Thank you for teaching me to be patient and strong. Thank you for always being there for me no matter what.
The word “luv” means so much to me. It is a different kind of love. When I think of the word luv it reminds me of my grandparents and it shows me how grateful I am for them. It means to be strong and to try my best to stay positive in every situation. It’s our word. If someone else wrote the word “luv” to me, it wouldn’t have the same meaning. A couple days before I left I had a going away party. Mumu and Pap pulled me aside before the party and gave me one last card from them. That card showed me how much they care about me and how they supported me from the time I told them that I signed up for the race till the time I left and of course they ended the card with the words “Prayers and Luv always, Mumu and Pap”. On the day I was leaving for the airport, I knew that I wanted that word tattooed on me at some point but I never told anyone that. As we were driving away I forgot that I left the card on my bed. I made them stop the car and I ran inside to get it. As we were leaving they were outside waving so when they saw me run inside they probably thought I just forgot something but little did they know, it was their card. At the end of month 1 at debrief in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic at a sketchy tattoo shop with the song “Feliz Navidad” blasting in the background, I got the word “Luv” tattooed on my finger in my grandmas handwriting.
