Cups of Tea Memories

One common item throughout my life happens to be a cup of tea.  From the time I was a toddler, a cup of tea has been a big part of it.  I remember having tea (mostly milk and sugar) with my Nana with biscuits (cookies).  I remember how she would say, "Let's put on the kettle, luv."  I would get out the cups and the milk and sugar.  Nana would bring out our special cookies.  She would pour the hot liquid into the teapot and wrap a tea cozy around it.  We would chat and laugh until the pot was dry. Wonderful memories sitting there sipping tea with Nana and Grand-dad.

In the early evenings, my mom would bring out the silver tea tray and tea set that she had forever.  It had the Blue Willow pattern on the tray, pot, cream and sugar.  She still has this and I hope I get to have it when she goes to Heaven.  Mom would brew the tea in the teapot.  She would put it all together and place it on our coffee table. We would gather around and sit on the floor excited to get our cup.  Dad would sometimes go to the Donut Shop and get donuts. Otherwise, we would just have tea.  Tea was enough. It was one time in the day when we came together as a family.  No fights, no conversation--we sat, sipped and enjoyed being a family.  I looked forward to tea time every night!

When I married my first husband, I continued the tradition. Unfortunately, he didn't like the idea and my tea time was discontinued.  I didn't bring it back even years later.  I might have to rethink this, I am sure that Wayne would appreciate tea time.

When I moved to Canby, the Good LORD brought a special lady to become my next door neighbor and "adopted" mom, Edna Vosika.  I loved her so much and she loved Alison and me just as much.

Since my mailbox was infront of her house and my house behind her, she would pick up my mail. Sometimes when I would go over to pick up my mail, she would have a pot of tea brewed for me.  I loved it!  Every Saturday, I would go over and she would fix a pot of herbal tea in a beautiful teapot. I would sometimes cry my heart out to her.  Times were so hard as a single parent and I did miss my family alot but this was the path I chose.  Edna would listen, sometimes give me advice and most of all pray for Alison and me.  I came to know Jesus through her love and sacrifice for my daughter and me.  I miss her so much but I know that when I get to Heaven, she will have a pot of tea waiting!

When Hunter was old enough, I introduced him to a cup of tea.  He would beam when I let him fix mine.  He would smile even bigger when I tasted it and said, "Something's missing."  That's when he would hug me and plant a big kiss on my cheek.  I'd taste again and say, "THIS is the BEST tea I have ever tasted!"  To which, Hunter would just beam even more.

Grace was taught to and the same reactions happened.  Grace said, "MaMa doesn't get a kiss with her tea, why do I need one in mine?"  My response was "I call my tea 'Special Tea' and it needs a special kiss".

Now both of them are wise to what's going on but they love it when I get so excited about my "special tea".  Sometimes they say I need thousands of kisses and they bombard me with a barrage of smooches.  I love it!  I need to get out the little tea set I bought for them.  And of course, get some "biscuits".  I hope that they remember having tea and making tea with their Nana.

I love all my cups of tea--they are more than warm liquid in a cup, they are treasured memories in cups of gold.  When I get to Heaven, there will be three special ladies waiting to have one wonderful tea party--Nana, my Aunt Lucy, and Edna.