Keep Your Fork

Hey y’all! Last week, I shared with you a little about my daddy. This week, I have to share with you the backbone to the family; my momma. My momma is my best friend. I depend on her for so much: advice, a swift kick to the rear, a sounding board, Bible knowledge, and daily prayers. She is a nurse by career (and passion), but I always call her Doctor Mom. She worked as an ER nursing supervisor until I was in the 4th grade, then she moved to working for a general surgeon in town. She was blessed to work for him until Callie was around 1. My friends called her Momma T. When I was in 8th grade, she got off work at 11:30am on Fridays. My best friend and I would beg her to come pick us up and take us to Pizza Hut for lunch; and most of the time she did. When I was in high school, she talked my dad into letting me go to prom as a sophomore when a boy asked me to go with only 3 days notice. She shuttled me and my best friend to and from games and practices. The memories that I have with my momma are priceless. My most favorite memory with her was my Senior year when she took me to my college visit at East Tennessee State University. I knew that was where I was going. Period. I didn’t even need a college visit, but it was a free excused day from school that was followed up with trip to Red Lobster. Little did I know on that day, that while I was in college, my momma would travel an hour to see me every single Thursday. We would have dinner at Red Lobster, ice cream from Marble Slab, and go back to my apartment and watch Grey’s Anatomy. She even spent the night if she didn’t have work the next day.

There is absolutely nothing that I can’t go to my momma for. She helps me with Callie when I can’t be mom due to work. She helps me keep the laundry done up and loves on my puppy dog. She has dinner ready on long days, lets me borrow her car, and surprises me with tanks of gas just because. She also prays for me and with me, she supports me in everything I do, and she is always there.

At some point in my childhood, my momma started making her special baked beans. Now, it is one of Callie’s all time favorites. Sometimes, Callie asks for her beans and nothing else! They are wonderful with a dinner or a cook out, or if you’re like Callie, eat them by themselves! I hope you keep your fork, you won’t be sorry!

Momma T’s Baked Beans

1 can (1lb 15 oz) Pork-n-beans

1/3 pound hot sausage

Polish Sausage (to taste)

1 small onion, diced

1 tsp garlic salt

3 Tbsp light brown sugar

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Cook sausage and drain. Cut up polish sausage into ¼ slices. Combine everything together and bake (or microwave) until hot.