I discovered a treasure today. And while it doesn’t actually belong to me, it’s in my possession (I’m borrowing it), and you’d think it was worth a million dollars the way I’m guarding it with my life.

It’s actually worth more than a million dollars. To me anyway.

It’s a “book” my great-grandma, Helen Margaret Forsythe, wrote for her daughter, Mary Joan Forsythe Yoder (my grandma) in 1967 when she (Helen) was 77 years old. Did you catch all that? The book is written in her beautiful handwriting and chronicles some of her favorite childhood memories (and many from her adult years too).

Great-Grandma Helen was born in 1890 and lived to be 95. She died three days before my 10th birthday, and I remember visiting her in the nursing home when I was the age my girlies are now.

So, it’s super-special that my daughters and I get to visit their great-grandma and make the same kind of memories. Grandma is doing so well and loves the nursing home. She’s made all kinds of friends and has visitors all the time–she LOVES people.

While Mom, Grandma and Livi were playing Upwords today (and Ava and Nina were entertaining themselves doing who knows what), I was reading Great-Grandma Helen’s book. I’d come to a part that just cracked me up and have to read it out loud. My girls loved it too. It’s a gem, I tell you.

When I get this big ol’ Zoo Book done, I have a notion to type up the book and self-publish it. It’s such a blessing. Next week I’m going to share an incredible story about Helen’s sister Edna who died when she was 10. It will bless you, I promise.

Here are a couple excerpts that made me laugh today. Maybe because I could see myself in my sweet (and ornery) great-grandma.

Sometimes when some neighbor children came to visit us, we liked to play the book of the story of the three little pigs. I was the pig that got in the churn and rolled downhill past the big bad wolf. Only I used a medium-sized barrel instead of the churn. I had my head on a cushion to start with, but the cushion was never where my head was while rolling downhill. Needless to say, I didn’t try that again.

One time when Bertha Wagner was our teacher, Nellie Kirk and I were seatmates. I was telling her a funny story (whispering), and we giggled. Our teacher called us to her desk and made us crawl under her desk, where we had to sit cross-legged. Naturally, we were quite embarrassed before the whole school. First we laughed and then we cried. Finally she told us to take our seats.

Father didn’t put the sleigh-bells on the horses on Sabbath day. Once cold frosty day, I put my tongue on the iron strip on the edge of the wagon bed. My tongue stuck, and I couldn’t get it loose. Father said don’t try to pull it loose, you’ll hurt your tongue. Breathe on it, and it will come loose pretty soon. I did, but I never tried that again.

Do any of you have treasures like this from your past? Do you have grandparents (or great-grandparents!) still alive? Has it been awhile since you’ve seen them? When’s the last time you sat with them and let them tell you a story from their childhood?

Don’t wait another minute to do something special for an older loved one.

Write a note, pick up the phone, make a visit.

Priceless.

Have a great weekend, friends!!