... About Birthdays - Look Who Turned 64!

In my post “... About My Grandmother - Part 1” I wrote “…because I was given a second chance at life, so to speak, I decided I would really celebrate my birthdays.”  My last birthday was no exception.  I turned 64 on December 18, 2014.  On a rotating schedule with other caregivers for my mother,  one of my days was on my birthday.  Since Mother had a doctor’s appointment late in the afternoon and since my father is now in a personal care home, I decided I would have lunch on my birthday with my father at the home.   The home has a beautiful dining room that can be reserved for private meals for the residents.  I reserved the room and invited my mother and her pastor, Marvin Mosley and his family to join Daddy and I for lunch.   I invited Pastor Mosley because, outside of family members, he has visited my father in the home more often than anyone else.  Much to my disappointment, when I arrived at the home for lunch, I learned we would be eating lunch in the activities room instead of the dining room.   Despite my disappointment, we enjoyed a very delicious lunch.  The Mosley’s have three young children and to help out, I held the baby for a while.  With my youngest granddaughter now four years old, it was a real joy to be holding a baby again.  I chit-chatted with him a bit and cooed to him.  My reward was the big smiles he gave me. 

After about an hour, the residents of the home were finishing their lunch in their dining room and several came into the activities room.  So much for private dining!  Once again, I was a bit disappointed.  And then I had an idea.  The children were done eating and so I decided we would sing to the residents.  Michael, the oldest is three and so he and I sang some Christmas carols he knew.  Then we sang some “Sunday School” songs he knew. The residents loved hearing Michael sing and clapped for him.  The whole episode brought tears to my eyes.  It was so wonderful!  What had started out as a bit of a disappointment turned into pure joy!  I could not think of a better way to celebrate my birthday than to bring a bit of joy into the lives of others.

I actually celebrated my 64th birthday three times.  Since I am a twin and my twin sister now lives close to me, she and her fiancé treated my husband and I to a fantastic meal at a nearby  restaurant the Monday before our birthday.  And then Wilbur treated me to an awesome meal out a few days after my birthday.  “Thank you, Lord, for letting me live for more than 64 years and allowing me to experience all the wonderful things of life.  I am glad to be alive!”

... About My Grandmother - Part 1

Lelah Jewell Brown Walker

What follows is a letter to my grandmother (if it were possible)

Dear Grandma,

You have been my inspiration for many years.  Daddy, your son, talked about you a lot.  I wish I could have known you; but based on what he has told me, you must have been a wonderful mother.  My heart was sadden to know that you passed away in your early forties when Daddy was about twelve years old.  It seems almost like a coincident that when I was in my early forties, I was at death’s door.  I was experiencing the worse pain ever and had to have emergency surgery.  I was told without the surgery, I would die a slow painful death. 

I had the surgery and just celebrated my sixty-fourth birthday. 

Daddy told me you had a  lot of surgeries.  I wonder if you had as much pain as I did.  I sure hope not!  Anyway, because I was given a second chance at life, so to speak, I decided I would really celebrate my birthdays.  It would be my way to say, “Thank you Lord for letting me live another year!”  I am amazed at all the things I have experienced and seen since the day of my surgery twenty years ago. I know you never got to experience those things and because of that I feel I am truly blessed.  I wonder why God would take you home to heaven to be with Him at such an early age and let me continue to live.  I suppose there are some things we are not to know. "’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD.   ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55:8-9

When I had the surgery, Melissa was around twenty years old and had started college.  I would see her graduate, get married to John Kraynanski, and have a career that took her around the world.  I’ve been blessed to be the grandmother to her beautiful daughters, Emily now ten, Kate now eight, and Kourtney now four.  Melissa is an awesome Mom.  John is a wonderful husband and Dad.  Wow, you are Emily, Kate, and Kourtney’s great-great-grandmother!

Melissa's sister, Amy was in high school when I had the surgery. So I got to see her graduate from high school and college, get married to Richard Reimers, have a career in graphic design and run her own business.  Amy does not have any children; but is a true doting aunt to Melissa’s girls.  Amy and Rich have a dog named Bug.  And Rich is a wonderful husband to Amy.  So many, many blessings!