It seems that I got several viruses from a calendar website I downloaded. Who knew innocently downloading a calendar would cause so many problems?!?!?! Well, apparently lots of folks know, but I didn’t. Good thing for me is that my darling husband is a computer nerd and was able to wipe everything out and keep only the good stuff I needed. So, I’m back in business!
Mary Susan Pines Spilman is my maternal grander mother. As a child she was my granny-n-Dawson and now is just Granny or Gaga to Little Belle. Granny is in her 80s but in good health. She can run circles around me most days and still has enough energy to babysit Little Belle from time to time. Granny has two daughters, two sons, five granddaughters, one grandson, one great grandson and one great granddaughter. I am Granny’s oldest grandchild and her namesake.
Granny is a woman of strong faith though life has dealt her some unfair burdens. She grew up very poor in the aftermath of the Great Depression, birthed her first child, a son, only to loss him days later to causes unknown at the time. She also lost her parent’s as a young adult, and her husband left her after 30 plus years of marriage. She has also had to face some difficult situations with adult children. Granny has met every unfair burden with strength and grace. To be honest, I’m not sure I’ve ever heard her complain. She inspires me to be a better wife, mother and friend. Granny is gracious, forgiving, hospitable, kind, and steadfast.
Granny is a wonderful host and an excellent cook. Her home is always open to all who will come and in her 80s still prepares meals to feed 15-20 on a regular basis. She loves nothing more than to care for someone else. She is in her element when she can feed and care for others. Granny was a homemaker until her 50s when she went to work as a secretary. She retired in her late 70s from her second career. When my days as a young stay-at home mother seem difficult I think of how she cared for three young children with little of the technology that I consider necessary. Then 13 years later, when she thought the difficulty of raising little ones was over God gifted her with another son and she got to start over!
It is my joy to know and love Granny. I am thankful that I still get to glen from her wisdom. I get to talk with her regularly, and visit often. I am also grateful that Little Belle is now getting to know and love Granny too.
Leon Owen McCullough was my paternal grandfather whom I never knew. He died years before I was born so all I know of him is from others and pictures. His life was taken at a young age (his late 50’s, I think) by cancer. Most of his friends called him “Nip” so the grandchildren (though none of us knew him) referred to him as Granddaddy Nip. Granddaddy Nip was a traveling salesman and was often gone for days at a time when his boys were young. He had dark hair and pictures of him in middle age look a great deal like I remember my father looking.
Granny-n-macon told her three granddaughters often that Granddaddy Nip always wanted a daughter. However, God gave him three sons. He lived long enough to know his first grandchild was born, a grandson, who is his namesake. After his death he had three granddaughters. Life is so ironic, you know? I always imagine that Granddaddy Nip would have loved being a grandfather to us and spoiled us a little. 
Mary Louise Jones McCullough (known to me as Granny-n-macon)
I remember my granny-n-macon as being a stylish older woman. She wore purple and pink pant suits with matching shoes, bag, and jewelry. She liked to shop and paint her nails. And, my dad and uncles often told the story of when they came home from school to a pink house. Granny-n-macon painted the entire outside of her home pink while her boys were at school and her husband was at work one day. I guess she felt overwhelmed by all the boyish stuff living with four males so she decided to stake her claim on the home by painting it pink. I don’t think it lasted long since granddaddy Nip was not pleased with the choice. Ganny-n-macon was a feisty woman who loved to share her opinion whether solicited or not. She made chocolate chip cookies that were out of this world and loved frozen pizzas. After the age of five I spent at least a week with her each summer. She would watch me during pre-planning while my parent’s had to return to school. She let me eat lots of chocolate chip cookies, frozen pizza and other junk that I wasn’t allowed to have at home.
Granny-n-macon had three sons, one grandson, and three granddaughters. I am the youngest of her grandchildren and her namesake. She lived until her early 70’s (not sure the exact age) when lung cancer took her life. She lived her final months in my family’s home. It was a horrific but wonderful experience to watch her spend her final days on this earth.
I loved granny-n-macon dearly and see some of her characteristics in myself. I certainly have her love of style and shopping. I think shoes, bags and clothes should match. I can remember her telling me that my shoes should ALWAYS match the hem of my dress. I also have granny-n-macon’s ankles (an odd thing to inherit but its true), and her wild wavy hair. And, some might say I have a bit of her feisty and opinionated streak.
Little Belle looks more like her dad by 3%! Below is a fun site that lets you upload pictures of your family to determine who you or your child looks more like. I did this when Little Belle was much younger and it said she looked equally like both of her parents. It’s fun to play with!
Here’s the look alike meter from a picture of me and my parents when I was about three.
