Happy, Happy Birthday Grandma Dear

Today is my paternal grandmother's 85th birthday. I love my grandma. She is the only grandparent I have left and has been for the last 11 years (Dec. 20th will mark the anniversary of my other grandma's death and she also would have been 85 on Dec. 10th--miss you dear Grandma!)I look up to her for so many reasons. She was married at the ripe ol' age of 16 1/2. (always makes sure we mention the 1/2) She lost her husband very unexpectedly due to an explosion and was left to raise 5 children by herself. Has had ovarian and skin cancer and in the last year had part of her nose removed and rebuilt. Married 5 other times and had one more child. Out of the 5 children from my grandpa, my Dad is the only one who does not have Muscular Dystrophy. It crippled their speech, and their physical bodies and my grandma was constantly caring for them. They have all passed away before the age of 60-ish; some younger. Having never graduated from high school or gone to college, my grandmother had to make a living in other ways. She was a cosmetologist and owned her own beauty shop. Then at the age of about 60-62 she started working the graveyard shift at a gas station and only stopped a couple years ago. Getting hit on by the truck drivers who were the age of her sons was always a "highlight." She has always kept herself well and always looked younger than her years--and still does. I have only heard her raise her voice once in my life. Her house is always impeccable and imaculate. I have never seen her go out in public without her hair colored, permed, styled and make-up done. She also has an incredible wardrobe. I have also never seen her nails NOT painted. And I will forever remember the Sunday afternoon's at her house when it was my turn to go home with her. And her iced chocolate milk made in the blender, the grilled cheese sandwiches (I still cannot make them like she does) and cereals made from ground corn topped with sugar and milk. I love going to Grandma's house, set back against a hill. Feels like a country cottage to me.

Memories:

• climbing on her roof to fix her cooler at the age of 70


• climbing her pecan trees to shake off all the pecans


• forever shelling and freezing bags of pecans and giving them as Christmas gifts


• very spiritual


• always happy


• her laugh


• playing Aggravation


• her story-telling


• pianist--was called as ward organist at the age of 16; they finally released her at the age of 75. She can transpose and play many songs from memory.


• her singing voice--high soprano


• her beauty

Happy Birthday Grandma!