Favorite Memories Friday//My Petite YaYa’s

Hi Friends!

Remember a few years back when The Divine Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood book was all the rage?  I remember reading it for my book club down in Texas.  The state of Texas is full of larger-than-life-characters like those portrayed in Divine Secrets.  Needless-to-say, my book club adored it.  What I remember most about the book was loving the life-long friendship between the ladies– I loved the “secret club” that they were a part of.   I also loved that the ladies included their kiddos in the club too.  The kids were called “Petite YaYas.”

The summer of The Divine Secrets, we visited my parents in Illinois.  I was explaining the book to my mom and telling her how much the YaYas reminded me of my mom’s club, “The Minks.”  My Mom has been part of the Minks since high school and the same group of ladies has gotten together several times a year, every year, since they graduated  in 1959.  The Minks ladies came to my bridal and baby showers and attended my wedding.  They helped out when my mom was in the hospital and filled a table at my parent’s 50 Anniversary party.  I remember telling my mom how I wished I had a group like that, too.  My girlie-girls took this all in and told me they could be my group.  Next thing I know we were fashioning crowns (the YaYa’s had crowns, of course!) out of colorful pipe cleaners and fluffy feathers.

Of course, we had to make fancy necklaces and wands, too. : )

The girls decided Jack should be a “Baby YaYa” :

He didn’t seem too excited about that idea, though. : )

I love this memory for so many reasons.   I love that they wanted to start their own secret club.  I love the pictures of the kids wearing the feathered crowns.  I love that we captured the happiness of that day.

One of my biggest wishes is that my girls will always want to be a part of a “secret club” with me.  So far, so good.  It’s been about 8 years since these pictures were taken and they still like hanging out with me (although we don’t wear feathered crowns together anymore).  Emily still wants me to be her swim coach and Maddie still wants me to hang out with her at the mall.  I genuinely enjoy spending time with them.  They are such great kids.

 I am blessed, for sure.

XO,

Vicki