Happy 89th Birthday, Grandma!

Today is my Grandma Betty's 89th birthday!  Since she is one of my most loyal blog followers, and since I haven't been as diligent about writing these days, I thought a nice gift might be to write a blog post ... about her!  So, Grandma, this one's for you!

You, the lady who has held my mom ...

... me ...

... and both of my kids in her arms.

Thank you for showing us that family is important.  (That lady on the bottom right of this picture is my grandma's mom, my great-grandma Eva Amalia ... better known as Mollie.)

And thank you for sending me these pictures recently!  You have always been one to keep in touch through the mail with letters, photos, and the occasional coupon or magazine article, and I love it!

You raised four amazing children, Grandma.  Though two of them are no longer with us, the fond memories I have of them and how loving an aunt and uncle they were stays with me.  (And thank you for passing along your emotionality to me.  As awkward as it can be sometimes to be tearing up randomly, as I am as I write this, I figure people will always know how I feel about them.)

You and Grandpa have been married for 69 years, which is quite an accomplishment! (Baylor was just a baby at your 60th anniversary party ... hard to imagine, isn't it?)

Thank you for being such a loving presence at my own wedding!  I hope Bryson and I are as fortunate as you and Grandpa have been!

Thank you for always showing an interest in my kids!  It's a rare gift to have great-grandparents who are so willing to listen and love.  I know it's easy when they are babies ...

... all cute and cuddly ...

... able to be held ...

... and full of silly smiles!

But it's a whole other thing to make such an effort to keep them captivated, ...

... and to dive in when they ask for your help building Legos ...

... or take notes for an idea they had.

Know that your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and in-laws love you so much and are wishing you the happiest of birthdays!  (I realize this is only a fraction of the people I just listed, but it turns out I don't have certain pictures I thought I did.  This will just have to do, I guess.)

Happy 89th birthday, Grandma!  I love you so much and hope to see you very soon!

Always,

Your eldest grandchild

Nicole