My sweet mother in law was truly the sweetest woman I've ever known. Hazel Harper Sweet truly lived up to her last name in every way during her 87 years on this earth. She was small in stature but a giant in integrity, kindness and compassion for others. She taught me so very much in our relationship, and there's not a day that goes by that I don't miss her terribly.
Tonight, as I re-created her famous peanut butter balls -- a holiday tradition in her home, and now in our home -- I recalled, with a chuckle, a precious holiday memory surrounding this delicacy. Holidays at Hazel's were a magical event that largely took place in her kitchen. She was a wonderful cook, and she showed her family love in that way. She never had a lot of monetary wealth in this life, but she was rich in so many other ways -- ways that truly mattered. She always made you feel like you were the most important person in the world, and, in her world, you really were.
In around 2000 or 2001, we were visiting North Carolina for Christmas. We had been there several days, and Mrs. Sweet was in full, Christmas-baking mode -- Moravian ginger cookies, coconut pies, Amish friendship cakes, and yes, peanut butter balls.
Conner was about four years old, and he had quickly become addicted to the chocolatey goodness of the treats. He would've eaten a whole bucket of them, if we had let him. We would try to limit him to two or three because they were soooooo very rich!
This particular day, Jeff and I had some last minute Santa duties to finish up, so we left Katie, Colton and Conner at home with Granny and Paw-Paw Sweet. Colton was always content to sit and work on puzzles with Paw-Paw. Katie was usually happy watching television or playing with Granny. But Conner was the baby, and he had a way of getting his way.
Granny had given in and allowed him to have more peanut butter balls, but she finally reached her limit, and put them away in the refrigerator in her favorite storage containers - an old, Cool-Whip tub. (When she passed away, there were literally a hundred of these tubs in her pantry!) As she put them away, she told Conner that he could have more later. Well, Conner had other plans.
Granny Sweet went back to the bedroom to do something, so Conner recruited Katie to help him retrieve more peanut butter balls. He was smart enough to know that Granny had stored them in a Cool-Whip tub; however, he didn't know that there were probably five other identical tubs in the fridge. When little Bonnie and Clyde grabbed the container to heist Granny's candy stash, little did they know that they had accidentally chosen her Cool-Whip tub of chicken frying oil. What a shock Conner got when he opened the lid, and the greasy container slipped from his little fingertips, flinging grease and oil all over him, his sister and the kitchen floor.
Granny, hearing the commotion, ran into the kitchen to see Conner and Katie covered in grease and oil, and slipping all over the floor. What an absolute mess! But, being the wonderful Granny that she was, she didn't get upset. She didn't fuss, yell or spank, like their momma would have done. She just laughed. And laughed, and laughed. She was still laughing when Jeff and I arrived home, after she had bathed both children and was mopping the greasy floor.
When Jeff and I began to be upset, she quietly said, "Now, just stop it. The little fellow just wanted some candy." And, that was that. Conner claimed that it was all "Tatie's" (he couldn't pronounce the "K") idea, and no one could ever get mad at those sweet little brown eyes!
My mother in law taught me a lot that day. She taught me that laughter is always better than anger. She taught me that children are going to mess up. She taught me that children are only little for a short time, and that time is truly a gift. She taught me not to sweat the small stuff -- even when the small stuff was a greasy mess.
So, tonight, as I made this year's batch of peanut butter balls, there were no small children in my kitchen trying to sneak some candy. Those children are now grown, and this mother truly misses those days gone by. But, there was the memory of a special lady that I love so much, and that taught me so very much! There are no doubt going to be peanut butter balls in heaven, along with those people who have meant so very much to us! Merry Christmas!
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