Happy Birthday G.G.

Today is G.G.'s birthday (aka Grandma but it's so much more fun to have a blog name). She is *ahem* years young. Seriously, you didn't think I was going to tell you did you? I know better. Though the picture above might be a little give away. Yo Momma and I went to lunch with G.G. and another wonderful friend today to celebrate. I've felt kind of like I've been in a fog all day and didn't feel like I celebrated G.G. enough so I thought I would share a little here.

G.G. has had her shares of ups and downs in life. She's raised 4 children, spent 40-some odd years married to a great, albeit tough as nails man (Boompa) who died a year after retiring. G.G. has been swinging single for the last 17 years. In my memories of growing up G.G. was always the who kept things together in our family. I remember monthly family dinners as we celebrated someones birthday (there are only two months out of the year that we don't have a birthday to celebrate...and one of those is December!). Christmas morning would always be spent at G.G. and Boompa's house. I remember extended family vacations and trips with just G.G. and Boompa in their 5th wheel. There are some sweet memories that time has not erased.

There have been many laughs over the years and many tears. She has changed in many ways, but yet she still remains the same. My cousins and I used to laugh and giggle whenever we got G.G. laughing hard enough to snort...which was always followed by "G.G. snorted!". There were many of those times. I remember her playing the piano for me so I could put on a show in her living room one family gathering and then playing the piano as we all gathered around to sing some of our favorite hymns and songs. G.G. would care for us when we were sick or injured, feed us wonderful cookies and love us because we were her grandkids.

Those who call her Mom or Grandma can thank her for some great legacies...love, laughter, music, stubbornness among them. The importance of family has probably been the greatest legacy that G.G. has passed along to us though. I don't think she really realizes how deeply that has been rooted in each of us. Not just that we are family and stuck with each other but that we need to look out for each other, share together, love each other, celebrate together and learn from each other. It's hard with so many personalities but when it comes to G.G., we all agree, she's the glue that holds us all together.

Happy Birthday, G.G. You are loved more than you will ever fully comprehend.