A Beautiful Birthday

What to do for Nana's birthday? Kim and I had planned a fancy schmancy dinner and cake. But Mom suggested going to Granny's house. Granny would fix up her usual brown beans with ham, skillet potatos, and cornbread. We didn't have to be asked twice!!! And truly, it couldn't have been a better way to celebrate Nana's birthday than being at Granny's cookie cutter shoe box of a house. The weather was perfect.... we spent a lot of time outside on her green lawn, just playing, nothing fancy of course. But that is part of the magic of granny's house. The sheer simplicity of it all. The old swing next door which all of us kids grew up playing on. The backyard that, while darling, can withstand any kind of digging and rooting around that the kiddos do. The porch swing in front that we played endless games on growing up. The red dominos in the Christmas tin that look just as shiny as they did 30 years ago. The box of white dominos, and the black ones too. Used to play countless games by Granny and Grandpa Ernie. And after all this time, not one of those dominos lost. The warmth and love that blanket you right when you walk in the door. The hugging arms and infectious smile of this amazing woman. Her giggles. Her cakes. The memories. The garden. The flowers. The old garage out back... filled with carefully stored toys and other old stuff. But she knows exactly where everything is and, I tell you, that is not a musty garage. So, although this started out as a blog about my mom, it turned into one about my Grandma Ida, who a stitch of years ago, gave birth to another amazing person, my mom. But I know my mom won't mind, because she thinks as dearly about her mother as I do. Mom, I am so thankful for the mother who raised you and made you into the wonderful, caring, thoughtful, sweeet and fabulous (See, I did not mention bossy) person that you are. Happy Happy Birthday! Your children and grandchildren love you deeply!!!!