Bonding with Buna

My grandmother is a special woman.

She taught me how to read. She was the only one patient enough to sit with me and practice my spelling words–or maybe she was the only one I was willing to listen to. Jury is still out.

She liked to do quirky things with me when I was a kid, (and in a lot of ways, that hasn’t changed as we’ve both gotten older!).

Once, when she was watching my sister and I, we made soap from scratch. I don’t remember the process, but I remember the smells, and I remember having fun with her. I remember her laughing as we made the soap. And after, I remember that we had microwaved hot-dogs after–it doesn’t seem important, but that was something that was unique for me because we never ate hot dogs made in the microwave.

Sometimes, she would take me to a thrift store, hand me $5, and let me loose. I remember carefully shopping; quietly calculating how to get the most bang for my five bucks. She was patient as I shopped, never rushing me, but enjoying watching my process.

When I started driving, I would go visit her and just talk. As I became a young adult, she would give me advice, listen to my plans, and tell me stories of her younger days.

As I grew up, got married, and began having kids, I knew she was always there to talk to. She would come visit for a few days and visit with myself and the family I was creating.

She’s getting older, and I’ve moved farther, so I don’t get to visit quite as much as I used to.

But now, when I visit, it is a pleasure to see my grandma bonding with her great-granddaughter.

My grandma is affectionately called Tambuna, or Buna, by all 20 of her great-grandkids and two (almost three) great-great-grandkids. And my big girl seemingly has a similar bond to Buna as I did growing up.

Buna’s room becomes a respite for T when she needs a break from the hustle and bustle of the whole family while we are at grandma and grandpa’s house. Buna and T will arrange earrings, look in memory boxes, play a game on the Kindle, or watch HGTV or Masha the Bear–both options greatly enjoyed by both Buna and T.

On one of these escapes to Buna’s room, T found a tea pot and a package of flowering tea. Curious, she asked Buna about it. Buna was excited to share all about it, and the two quickly planned a tea party for the next day.

When the time came for the tea party, the table was set, tea snacks were picked, and real-life tea cups were assigned, the excitement from both Buna and T was electric. The rest of us couldn’t help but be just as excited.

As the hot water poured over the tea, my T was amazed at the way it flowered. The look on Buna’s face watching her great-granddaughter was priceless. The same could be said for the look on T’s face when she tried the tea–she had lemonade instead. But, the tea party was a success that she and her little sister still talk about.

More recently, Buna came to visit us at our house for a few days, and when little sis was napping, T banished me to my room, and set to work on a surprise for me and her dad, with the help of Buna. The entire hour and a half, I could hear the two of them giggling and laughing, talking, and enjoying the time together. I wasn’t sure just how much work was getting done, but it didn’t matter–I knew that the experience T was having was much like my soap-making experience with Buna, and that she’d never forget it.

At that time, my heart smiled, and as I think back on it, I can’t help but feel all the warm fuzzies. I am so grateful for the time we were able to spend with Buna at our house, and the memories T has been able to make while bonding with her great-grandma.

I never got to experience a great-grandmother like my own girls get to (with two of them!), but I’m so happy that I get to experience my daughter’s with their own great-grandmother’s.

And I can’t wait to see what their next memory together will be! I’m sure it will be something fun and quirky, because that is just the way Buna rolls.