Friday Highlights

Happy 99th Birthday lil' Gram!

My grandmother is the most fascinating and wonderful woman I have ever known. She has been through so much in almost a 100 years! She was born in 1910, lived through the depression and many wars. She lost her husband and her father in law in the same year, after taking care of them while they suffered from cancer. She then had to fight her own battle with cancer and she did it all very quietly, not letting to many people even know. Finally she had to see her daughter, my mom, lose her battle with cancer. No one wants to outlive their children. I know that pain still hurts her heart everyday.

She is a very independent woman. She is a woman of service, always giving of her time to others. In fact up into her late 80's she still continued to volunteer at Bingo night, helping count the money! She sewed at a nursing facility for many years, and we would joke that she was much older than most of the residents there! Yet she would drive a group of ladies down to the home and do her part even after her hands could only sew a button on. Is it no wonder that a woman who is so independent and giving still lives by herself?! That is right, at the age of 99 she is still living in her home alone! Yes, the years have caught up with her and her eye sight is not as good as it once was and she walks with a cane, but she still gets out now and then and lives her life. She still manages to get to church every week and out to dinner now and then.

When I ask her about her life and how lucky she is to live so long she said, "It has it's advantages and disadvantages. On one hand it is wonderful to see her children (2), grandchildren (4), and great grandchildren (11) grow up and experience life, but on the other hand, she has seen all her friends and some family pass on to heaven before her." I would imagine it is pretty lonely when all those people are gone and you only have a few loved ones left. One day she will be in heaven and there will be the biggest welcoming committee there to greet her! Until then I am glad she is still here being a part of my life. Love you lil'gram!