95 years of total WONDERFULNESS!

Yesterday my Grandma Venice (whom Jillian is named after) turned 95 years old.

Unlike most 95 year olds, yesterday my grandma was found making zucchini bread in her own home, writing down memories, visiting with loved ones, and going out to dinner. To say she is amazing would be a complete understatement. Grandma's life has not been without trials -- she lost a son when he was in his teenage years, she's lost siblings as both an adult and a child, and she lost her husband 24 years ago. But, she's raised a wonderful family, served a mission for our church, wrote poems, researched thousands of names for her genealogy, served in the temple, and has exemplified beautifully unwavering faith, humility, and charity.

In our family, if there is ever a problem, we immediately tell grandma, knowing that she will instantly be on her knees praying for us and if any one's prayers are going to be heard, it's grandma's.

While her health has been wonderful, this last year she has struggled on and off with shingles. During one awful episode of it, my mom took my grandma to the hospital and as she went to park her car she could still hear my grandma in horrific pain. The shingles were affecting nerves inside her chest and causing her excruciating pain. At one point my mom went to check on her when she thought she was sleeping, but my grandma called to her and said, "Vicki, come in, I'm not sleeping. I'm just laying her counting all of my many blessings." What an example she is to our family.

When my mom and her siblings told my grandma that they'd like to put her picture and a write-up in the newspaper for her birthday her reply was, "If you're going to do it, make it short. I don't want you to say everything, because then what will you say in my obituary." Her humor and love for life has put a smile on every one's face who knows her. I can still remember things she'd say to me as a child like "Go chase your face," or "Itch it if it itches, even if it's in your britches." She would also sing songs to us and one that I particularly remember well goes,
Jami, Jami, pudding in the pie.
Kissed the boys and made them cry.
When the boys came out to play,
Jami, Jami ran away.
I find myself singing a slightly different version of this song to my kids a lot. But instead of them kissing the boys/girls and making them cry, my song specifically says that they DON'T cry -- I think this is a little easier on their self-esteem and unlike me, they won't have to wonder every time it's sung, why in the world their kisses are making people cry, which in turn makes them run away.

I love you grandma! This world is such a better place because you're in it. Happy 95th birthday to the person I strive to be more like each and every day of my life.