Great Grandma's Birthday

A beautiful woman and her handsome hubby, William, on their wedding 
day in Brooklyn December 3, 1938

It's my husband's grandma's birthday.  It's a huge milestone- she is 95!!!  Here's the cake I baked for her party this weekend. She has grand-kids that came from Winnipeg, nephews that came from NYC, friends from Vermont (who's daughter is a doctor in South Africa right now and you can read about it here) and relatives' well-wishes from all over.


















Even at her ripe young age, she has the will power to keep Kosher and watch what she eats.  She had a fish meal prepared for her so that she would be able to eat the dairy cake that she requested for her birthday bash (note: same one had by Nate on his 5th birthday)! She is also partial to black licorice, not red, and shares this preference with Nate : D

We are so, so grateful that our sons have the privilege of knowing her.  She has had a rich, rich life.  And she is the epitome of strength and determination.  Always one to ask how LJ's therapies are going, as well as the type of woman who listens to Nate's long-winded, crazy stories about his toys or school escapades, she also never lets her appearances rest.  She has been known to apply a coat of lipstick and get dressed in her best even if it was just the four of us coming over for dinner. But boy does she listen.  And if you sit with her long enough she will start to tell stories about growing up on a farm, how she met her husband and things her daughters did growing up.  Man is she passionate too- steadfast in her love for the Yankees even getting a big screen TV in her sitting room complete with the Deluxe ESPN baseball channel.

We are beyond lucky that we we have had this amazing woman in our lives.

Yet, as I sit here my heart aches for the Smith family and the Agin family.  I feel so sad and helpless.  Why is it so hard?  Why does my heart have to ponder the question why a 6 month old and a 5 year old never get to experience so many of life's joys? Will everything always be tainted with little tiny pieces of devastation?  There's just no explanation.  It has been a roller coaster for me to spend this weekend celebrating the long, awe-inspiring journey of a 95-year old AND the courageous girls' lives who battled their illnesses valiantly; their weary bodies here with us shorter than anyone would expect.  They were an inspiration to all.  And as we celebrate and are encouraged by such a wonderfully long life I will have attended two girls' funerals; please pray for these two families that need our love, support, and thoughts to strengthen them in their doubting as they grieve the immeasurable loss of losing their child. Life is imprinted on us forever. May they be surrounded by courage and love.