sitting on couch at Gazzies

Tipper, Granny, Paul about 1984

A few weeks ago one of Granny’s nephews brought her some old photos he found in his parent’s house. He said he was making an effort to share the photos they’d taken over the years because he couldn’t keep them all.

I don’t know who was more excited about the pictures we’d never seen before—Granny, me, or Paul.

When Paul saw the photo of us sitting on the couch at Granny Gazzie’s he said “Why Granny looks just like a kid too.” I agree she doesn’t look much older than me.

I noticed my puffy shirt right away. I had totally forgotten about that shirt till I saw the photo. And of course I noticed I still had braces. I love Granny’s dress although I don’t remember it at all. I do remember Paul’s shirt—it was one of his favorites.

Paul and I took Granny to meet with the surgeon earlier this week. They finally got the results from the right test.

The treatments shrunk the mass a great deal but didn’t completely make it go away. They did clear up the lymph nodes and they are now cancer free so that was great news.

The next step is up to Granny. She can have the surgery if her cardiologist thinks she’s strong enough or there is a possibility she might be able to stay on some sort of maintenance treatment plant. We will see her oncologist in a little over a week and after he shares his thoughts Granny will need to make her decision.

She is still in good spirits and believes the treatments have helped her a lot.

Thank you for praying for Granny and for all the love you’ve shown her. We could never ever thank you enough!

Last night’s video: Talking About The Appalachian Language Barrier & Acknowledging the Corn.

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96 Comments

  1. I just love that snapshot! What a treasure 🙂
    So glad Granny is feeling much improvement from her treatment, and I hope whatever she decides to do next helps her even more. She’s a treasure, too.

  2. Shelia says tipper I am glad granny got such good news praise God he is good hope granny surgery goes
    well I kind adopted granny Wilson for my granny too hope that ok she great inspiration love see on your channel often such sweet soul

  3. Tipper,
    It is a great photo of the you, Granny and Paul!! I am so elateded for Granny that the tumor has shrunk alot. I will continue to pray for her. God bless you and your family abundantly.
    We are experiencing a snowstorm.We have about 6 inches of snow!! Tipper, you would love it !! Snow doesn’t excite me so much like when a child , Snow creates problems like falls for the elderly people. driving etc. Hilary H.

  4. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the many blessings you have bestowed on Granny Wilson. We give you all the Praise, Honor, and Glory. Amen
    Tipper, that is a wonderful picture of you, Granny, and Paul. I will continue with prayers for precious Granny. God bless all your family.

  5. Great photo! And Praise the Lord that Granny is doing better! She does look like a spring chicken there. 🙂 I had a similar “puffy shirt” back then, that I made from a Butterick pattern. Mom had me sewing my own clothes from the time I was 10. Only way I got new clothes, instead of our cousins hand-me-downs. Have a blessed day and weekend!

  6. Thank the Lord that Granny’s tumor has shrunk. I will keep praying for her. It feels funny to me to call your momma granny since I’m only a few years younger than her. I love the old pictures too. The ones from my momma’s things are in an opaque plastic box I keep in a closet. It’s a good thing they were in that plastic box. A couple of winters ago the roof leaked right over that closet and I would have lost all those pictures. My heart would have been broken. Since then our son copied those pictures onto a thumb drive. Now several other family members have copies too.

  7. So many praises to Jesus! I’m glad that Granny is doing well and staying positive. Thank you for sharing the update. Such a sweet picture of you, Granny and Paul. Sending you and your family love.

  8. Tipper
    So thankful for the news about granny! God is so good!
    I also loved the picture. We will keep praying for granny and you all as you talk to her oncologist and make the decision as to the next step.
    Love you all Joanna

  9. Oh Tipper!!!
    How happy that news makes me! Praying for Granny and that she can keep everything at bay for a long long while! We had good news at the oncologist today. My husband had colon cancer surgery in July. The chemo made him very sick and did massive damage to his kidneys, which has resulted in permanent dialysis! But the good news is that his numbers looked good and his tumor markers looked good. He has a recurring kind of cancer, so we’ll go back in 3 months for another scan. But I feel like Granny and my husband are both better! Thank you, Jesus!!

    Maw Maw Karen

  10. Such a beautiful picture of you all & such wonderful news of all the improvements in Granny’s health !!! Prayers for her upcoming options & decisions & for you all !!!

  11. Will continue to pray. I’m so grateful that Granny has improved to this level. Also that God helps her to know where to go next in treatment and care. That the doctor’s continue to do what is needed for her. Praying for all the family, won’t be long and Grandson #1 will be here to shower with love and #2 not far behind. Love to all.

  12. What a sweet picture!
    That’s so good to hear about Granny. May God give her wisdom on the next step to take. Praying for you all!

  13. We are so very happy to hear of Granny’s good report!! What an awesome God and Savior we serve. He hears and answers our prayers. Still praying Granny will be completely healed and restored to great health. She is such a sweetheart.. Through your blog-vlog she has become near and dear to our hearts.

  14. Thank the good Lord. This is wonderful, wonderful news. Granny is one tough cookie.That was a good picture. So glad she is doing so much better and thank you for informing us about granny.

  15. Tipper when I saw your picture my niece looks just like you but she has blond hair they say we all have someone that looks like us . Love all your YouTubes . So looking forward to seeing the little babies

  16. great to share old photos and memories and glad to hear you enjoyed sharing them my sister and i have been doing same thing with the family tree as well good luck granny for the oncologist visit next week

  17. Great news about the lymph nodes being clear! I will continue to pray for Granny and y’all as you see the cardiologist and oncologist and make decisions about the next step. I know that’s still a concern. I will be praying for clarity of thought as y’all discuss your options and peace with the decision that Granny comes to. Of course, I’m still praying for the girls and their boys and for you and Matt, too, (and Paul in his new retirement!). I know that retirement/new responsibilities is a bit of adjustment, but I know that after nearly two years of retirement, we are loving being at home and able to do projects and work here together! Y’all have a great week!

  18. God is good and He hears our prayers! Continued prayers for granny and wisdom for the doctors as they make decisions! Excited for you and Matt too about your plans for your garden in 2024! We plant a garden too and we are making plans as what to plant and what not too! We are retired now and we do a lot of canning! There is nothing like having your own food supply! My wife says it’s like going to the grocery store when she needs something from the pantry in the basement! We also planted a small orchard last spring, 2 apple, 2 Peach and 2 Pear trees! So far they are doing good! Also planted grapes with an arbor and planted blueberries and blackberries! Looking forward to what lies ahead in 2024!

  19. So happy to hear the treatment had good results! Sending love Granny’s way that she continues to feel better.
    Love seeing old photos, how people were posed, dressed, etc. It’s always fun to think about what else was going on in the room around them.

  20. Great news about Granny! Praying for wisdom for the doctors and Granny, for the right decisions to be made…God is able to fully heal and I will continue to pray with you all for her healing on this earth…Those Grandbabies need to be rocked by their Granny and wear all the best lovely crocheted baby clothes around!!! ❤️

  21. So happy for the good news! Continued prayers that Granny will make the right decision for what is best for her. Only she and the Lord knows. She is one tough lady and whatever she decides, it will all work out.

    Loved the picture! Boy do the girls look so much like you in that picture, amazing! Hard to believe that was forty years ago. In April of this year, my son will turn forty. I’m telling you the years do fly and when the grandkids start coming along, it’s even faster. Enjoy every moment.

  22. “Thank You Lord for such a wonderful update for Granny!! Continue to keep your hand upon her and keep her filled with the quietness and peace only You can give. I pray Your spirit of encouragement and hope will continue to surround each member of the Wilson/Pressley family.”

  23. Thanking God for the blessing of the improvement in Granny’s health!!! The vintage photo is great!My96 yr. old Aunt passed away in November. A year or two ago, she started dividing all her photos and slides up among all us nieces and nephews. It was so much fun, seeing old photos that were new to me! Oh my, it’s like a brief moment of “time travel”!

  24. You tell Granny she looks like a movie star in that photo. Wonderful to hear of improvement. Prayers that the Lord helps her to make the correct decision for her future health. May he walk by her side with each step of what lies ahead. He sees the future as we cannot. I love that she was able to see those pictures. Take care of her as you have been, and take lots of photos going forward of your fantastic family. Your Blind Pig followers love Granny!

  25. God is good and He hears our prayers! Continued prayers for granny and wisdom for the doctors as they make decisions! Excited for you and Matt too about your plans for your garden in 2024! We plant a garden too and we are making plans as what to plant and what not too! We are retired now and we do a lot of canning! There is nothing like having your own food supply! My wife says it’s like going to the grocery store when she needs something from the pantry in the basement! We also planted a small orchard last spring, 2 apple, 2 Peach and 2 Pear trees! So far they are doing good! Also planted grapes with an arbor and planted blueberries and blackberries! Looking forward to what lies ahead in 2024!

  26. Love the photo of you, Granny and Paul. Your girls look so much like you at that age. Yes, Granny looks just like a kid too as Paul said, because she does in that picture. You now look just like a much younger version of Granny too without the glasses I can still see some of your dad’s features in you from the younger pictures you’ve posted of Pap.
    I’m very thankful to read the good report on Granny. Thanking God for all the many, many, many prayers He has answered on her behalf. Prayers will continue for her in making the best decision by her and by her doctors.

  27. I love the picture! I had dresses and blouses with puffed sleeves. I am glad to hear the good news about Granny. She’s a remarkable lady, and reminds me of my Mama, who’s been gone seven years.

  28. Praise the Lord about Granny. we keep praying. I ask you pray for Dad has brain injury from falls. He at UT Hospital. My was a Preach man and has good many friends. I know you all are prayer warriors. God is so good to us all. we love you all.

  29. What wonderful news for Granny. Love the picture of you, Granny and Paul. Pictures bring back good memories about things you have forgotten. I’m a firm believer in there’s no such thing as too many pictures. Just a problem with storing all of them. It was great that Granny’s nephew wanted to share them.

  30. Wonderful news about Granny!!! And I loved the picture of you three too!
    Tipper, I’ve heard all those words in my growing up years so if I heard someone say them now I would know what they were talking about. My Grandfather used that word “directly” a lot:)

  31. Awww…. I’m so glad to hear the good news about Granny. Still praying for her and whatever decision she makes for her future.

  32. Wonderful news about Granny!!! Even though Granny doesn’t know me, please give her a big hug from one cancer survivor to another. I actually go for a port flush today at 2:00. Great photo of the three of you!

  33. Great photo! Thank you, Tipper, for sharing it along with your kind words. What a joy.

    Thank you as well for the update on Granny. May God give her (and you all) great wisdom and peace as she considers the choices set before her. And may God heal her soon.

  34. So glad and thankful for your all’s good news. The pictures are an extra added blessing coming just now. That 40-year looking back reminds me of how Dad used to say, “If I had known then what I know now…” Isn’t that all of us? I don’t have so much large regrets as I do enduring frustrations that I didn’t “read the tea leaves” about some things decades ago. Oh well, smart late may not fix not so smart early.

  35. I am sure it is a great relief to finally get some results information from Grannie’s treatments. Praise God they were able to shrink the mass and clear the lymph nodes. I will continue to pray for Grannie and for her family as she moves forward to make her decision about whether or not undergo surgery.

    1. So very happy about Granny. I will continue to pray for all of you.
      I also found some old pictures recently and saw clothes that I had forgotten about, but was taken right back.

  36. Good morning Tipper. Thanks for sharing the encouraging news about your mother. Our choir sings He’s An On Time GOD and HE certainly is. We’ll keep praying because GOD never quits working.
    I’d liked to have heard the oh’s and ah’s as the three of you looked at that priceless photo!!
    Blessings to all.

  37. Optimistic outlook is 9/10 of the battle. As long as she holds that, she’s won the war!
    Last month, my cousin stopped off and we met for breakfast on the main hwy. She had some photos her late sister took. Such a delight, like a treasure! We only spent 2 hours at the restaurant but to me, the visit was better than any other Christmas gift.

  38. Great picture of the three of you and I’m glad to hear some good news for Granny! We’ll keep the prayers and good thoughts her way and hope for more good news and results!

  39. So thankful Granny is better. Prayers answered for sure, and I pray more can be done for her. Wonderful that she is feeling better. My prayers for her & your entire family will continue. Are y’all going to get some of the super cold temperatures that are forecasted in the coming days? Maybe you will get that snow you want. I think Katie & Corie look just like you & Granny in this picture. All pretty women!

  40. I’m so glad that Granny is doing much better. I love finding old photos and/or people sharing them with us. I remember that type of top too. I had one of them also and maybe in a few different colors too. thank you so much for sharing

  41. Im glad to hear good news about Granny. And I love seeing the old pictures. I just got an invitation to the 50th anniversary of friends that had their wedding picture on one side and present picture on the other. I have only known them in recent years and would not have known him but did see a resemblance in her. With the cold days ahead it’s the time of year to get all those old photos out and reminisce. As has been stated, I join other reader family in wishing the best for Granny as she makes her decision about treatment.

  42. I’m so happy to hear the great news about Granny.
    It’s nice when a memory comes back in mind and makes your heart full of happiness.

  43. Great news about Granny’s results, now for prayers for wisdom to make the right choice for her about surgery Love the old photo that brings back so many good memories

  44. Prayer is a wonderful thing, our connection to the Lord. Tipper, I’m so very thankful for Granny’s good report. Her decision will be the right one for her. In the meantime, we’ll all keep praying.

  45. Prayers and best wishes for Granny!

    One thing I have learned the hard way: when old photos turn up, sit down with them immediately, or at least as soon as possible, and get them labeled. The time is coming when no one will remember who is in them or where the picture was taken or when. Nothing is sadder than finding a fantastic photo of someone and having no idea who it is.

  46. Oh Tipper,
    That is such wonderful news about Granny. I just love the pic with your grandmother. Funny how clothes can trigger a memory. I remember one shirt in high school like that. I think I wore it till it was threadbare. Mom would starch it and I remember putting it on and it smelled so fresh and I felt pretty in it. Wish I had a picture of it now. HA!
    Praying that the decision is an easy one for Granny to make. Such an exciting year coming up!!
    God bless you all!
    Lacy

  47. Oh how those old photos take us back! Thankful to hear Granny’s good news, Prayer is Powerful!!! Will continue to keep Granny & y’all in my prayers.

  48. Praise the Lord! that’s wonderful news about Granny. Continued prayers for her, Katie, Corie, healthy babies and all of you.
    Have a wonderful day.

  49. So glad to hear good news about Granny. We are still praying for all of you. We love to look at old pictures too. Love and prayers to all of you and Granny and Little Mamas too.

  50. Thank you for the update on Granny. So thankful Granny is getting some positive news and sending prayers that she and her doctors can come up with a plan for her course of treatment. My Momma has cancer in her right lung and she is 81 will be 82 in June and she wasn’t strong enough for chemo and they couldn’t do strong radiation because of where the spot is located so she is doing Keytruda and the spot isn’t growing so we are very thankful for that. I will be praying for Granny and you all as well. Sending prayers up for Katie and Corie too .

  51. I’m glad to heard the good news about Granny! Prayers for wisdom for the upcoming decisions to be made and for God’s peace as you all continue to navigate this.

  52. I love the pic! Granny looks so happy to be sitting there with you all.
    I am so glad to hear of Granny’s improvement. I hope she continues to get better.

  53. So happy to read the wonderful news Granny received from the doctors! I will continue praying for complete healing. The picture is just darling, and I see Katie having a strong resemblance with Granny in this one!

  54. I am so happy to learn that Granny is some better. I pray that she continues to improve while keeping in mind that no one lives forever, not this life anyway. It’s hard sometimes to want to stay here when we know the joys that await us. We do it for our children, I guess.

  55. Granny always reminds me of my sweet mama, but she even looked like her here too.

    Praising God for this good news. I will continue praying for Granny and you too.

  56. It is so lovely to come across old photos! They help us remember details that we have forgotten. Wonderful news about Granny! Still praying for all.

  57. In today’s digital world old school pictures are even more fun to have. Great to hear your mom’s treatments made a positive difference.

  58. Good morning Tipper. Thank you so much for sharing the encouraging news about your Mama. You just made my day. Through your blog and videos, I just feel like I know and love her—and I will continue to pray she is healed. I look forward to seeing her show off new crochet and cooking projects in the future—and especially hearing her sweet voice singing with Paul and the girls.

  59. Love the picture. Good news on Granny. will pray that the doctors do things right and that Granny will be strong enough for surgery if that is the beat course for her.

  60. Praise the Lord about the results of the treatment. I will continue to pray for the next step whatever that will be. This is a wonderful picture! So glad your nephew found it. It’s hard to believe 1984 was 40 years ago. Time certainly flies.

    1. Lauren, I was only 30 years old and married for 10 years in 1984. Happy as I could be and thought I had the world by the tail. Yes time does fly and as you get older it gets faster, I now look back and wonder where it went.

  61. I’m so glad the treatment helped! Of course we wish it had destroyed that ole stuff completely but still encouraging news! Prayers for granny as she prepares to make her decision. Love the picture Tipper and your puffy shirt. It’s so funny how ones memory works…you completely forget about certain things until you’re reminded of them and then your brain unlocks those memories for you to remember. I can just picture a little guard man with a big set of keys hanging out in the file cabinets of my memory waiting to unlock a file…sure would be cool to have a master key to those!

  62. Tipper, that picture is outstanding. the puffy shirt is hysterical. I had a “tuxedo” shirt (from JC Penney of course) probably at about the same time. Oof!

    Thank you for the update on Granny. Keeping you and your family in my prayers!

  63. Praise the Lord for Granny’s good report. She is a strong lady. Family resemblance in your picture is very strong. Your girls look alot like you did when you were younger. Hope y’all have a great day. I do enjoy your posts.

  64. Oh what wonderful news! Praise God for answered prayers. I will continue to hold her in prayer. I love the memories that flood our minds as we see old photos. I praise God for all the memories. I watched last nights video about Appalachian language and enjoyed it, as I always do. Praying for the girls and their babies for health and well being. God bless you and yours.❤❤

  65. Oh Tipper, what a sweet and precious capture of time. I am beyond thrilled to hear about Granny’s results. My hubby has cancer; it’s multiple myeloma. He was diagnosed in 2014, and he had a stem cell transplant in 2015. That was supposed to give him another 5 years. Well, it stayed at bay until late 2021 & we monitored it for a year, then in December of 2022 he went on a treatment plan. It has worked well and now he is on a maintenance plan. He is now 78. There are so many advances in medicine all the time.
    I will continue to pray for your mom, God is holding her in His mighty hands. I hope you have a good day, and maybe we will see a little snow Monday or Tuesday. We got a solid dusting here in Scaly, Tuesday night. You know what they say, if the snow hangs around, it’s waiting for the next snow. We shall see.

  66. WOW OH WOW… I don’t bet real money, but I bet she is strong enough and has the gumption to take ’em on. My bet is on her and with her support group and God’s hands it will be what is best for her. The fact that she has a say so in what happens is awesome. One day I am gonna bet that I will find a way to visit her face to face. You guys, maybe, but Granny yeppers. Praying still and know that God has the path. God Bless you guys.

  67. So grateful for positive news! We will continue praying for Granny. She has so many people who love her that have never met her! She is everyone’s granny! All glory to God!

    I had a navy blue shirt like yours in the picture. I had one of my senior pictures made in it. It was one of my favorites. I had forgot til I saw yours. Y’all are just babies! Where does the time go? I got married in 1984 and we will celebrate 40 years come October this year.

    God bless all y’all! Continued prayers!

  68. We want to let you know, Tipper, that we made Cabbage Patch Stew yesterday (from your cookbook) and it was outstanding! We also made a pan of cornbread. What a wonderful recipe AND meal. Thank you for sharing it with us.

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