Personal Childhood Web

I have been very blessed, in my lifetime, to have many people who have cared for me, loved me, and supported me.  The 5 people who were the most important to my childhood are my daddy, my mama, my nanny, my granny, and my grandpa.

My Daddy, Doug Eggleston, was a wonderful father.  He and my mom got married when I was 6 years old and by the time I was 8, he had adopted me and given me his last name.  I have always marveled at the fact that he loved me and my sister so much that he chose us to be his daughters when our biological father was so willing to give us away.  Daddy was a man of little words, but much love.  He taught me how to treat others and to always go out of my way to try and understand people.  He was very nonjudgmental and I never heard him say a bad word about anyone.  He was a hard worker and taught me the value and satisfaction of always doing your best no matter how menial the job seems.  I have so many memories of watching him play softball, going to the beach, working on the farm, family dinners, and just spending time with him.  He was always "in my corner" and always took the time to listen to my troubles.  Daddy passed away in 1996 of brain cancer and the void he left still aches today.


My Mama, Dianne Eggleston, was a very devoted mother.  Mama's mother died when she was 12 and her father died when she was 18, newly married, and pregnant with me.  These events in my mama's life made it very difficult for her as she struggled to be a young mother.  Mama always did the best that she could for me and my siblings.  She loved to cook and made us wonderful southern meals.  Her collards and chili are still my favorite today.  She worked and raised 4 kids and was always present at any of our school events and other social gatherings.  She taught me how to be self-sufficient by teaching me how to cook, clean, take care of children, etc.  I think my love for children began when she let me babysit my younger siblings as we were growing up.  I have come to realize that my mom and I have so much in common and that the link between us grows deeper as we age.  I am very grateful for all the love and support my mom gave me growing up and I am glad that our relationship is still strong today.  I love her very much.

My paternal grandmother, who I called Nanny, was one of my very favorite people growing up.  I used to spend a lot of time with her.  We went for walks, sat on the front porch and drank coffee, she always let me have a sip, and basically just enjoyed each other's company.  She was a very strong woman and always believed in me, even when I was at my worst.  She used to tell me, "Who's gonna care in 10 years!" and I still think of that now when I am worried over things.  She taught me how to cook and also how to play a mean game of poker.  She was a fun, loud, and very energetic woman and I treasure all of my memories of her.  She passed away a few years ago but the determination and self-love that she taught me is still growing strong in my life.

My Daddy's parents, who I called Granny and Grandpa, were very influential in my life.  When Daddy married Mama, he got a ready made family with 2 little girls and my "adopted" grandparents were thrilled.  They always included me in everything and treated me as if I was born in to the family.  They had a dairy farm and I grew up working on the farm.  My grandpa taught me how to ride a horse, prime tobacco, bottle feed a cow, and grow a garden.  My granny taught me how to cook, clean, sew, and care for others.  Both of them were very pragmatic, no-nonsense people who valued hard work and taking care of your family.  From them I learned a lot about how to care for others, not only in my family but my community as well.  They were always around to lend an ear, take care of me when I was sick, or just talk over a class of coke and some duplex cookies.    My Grandpa passed away 23 years ago and my Granny passed away 7 years ago.  When I was little I used to tell them that someday I was going to grow up and run the farm. Recently my husband and I had the opportunity to buy the family farm and we are in the process of bringing it back to it's former glory.  Each day as I live in the house I am surrounded by wonderful memories of my grandparents and the love that they always gave unconditionally.