Today was a very special day. Extremely special. You see, 102 years ago today a little baby girl named Jennie May was born. She was born in Ohio, but moved here to Colorado with her family when she was a little girl. They rode the train here, powered by an old steam locomotive. They settled on a homestead here, where her father farmed and provided for his family until he died. He died at a young age. Life was hard back then. Her mother raised Jennie and her brothers and sisters by herself from then on. Quite a difficult thing for a woman to do in those days.

Jennie grew up into a fine young woman. She was strong-willed, strong-minded and had a strong moral belief system. She was a God-fearing woman whose faith never faultered even once. She eventually met the love of her life, James Dale. They married and began planning their own family. Unfortunately, they endured much heartache when Jennie experienced multiple miscarriages. But finally they were blessed with a beautiful baby daughter, whom they named Beverly. They adored their little girl! Jim worked very hard to support his loving little family, and so did Jennie. She was the business manager at the old Good Samaritan Hospital here in town. She eventually stopped working outside the home, though, and stayed home to raise Beverly. During the war they moved for a time to Portland, Oregon, where Jim worked in the ship yards. By that time, Beverly was a teenager. She graduated from High School in Portland. After the war they all moved back here to Colorado. Beverly met a handsome man named Stacey, whom she married. The two of them set out on their life together, starting their own family. They became the parents of 3 little girls. I am number three.

Much to my mother’s sadness, my parents divorced when I was just a baby. At that time they lived in another town here in Colorado, so my father moved us back to the same hometown where Mom had been raised by my Grandparents, Jennie and Jim. Then he left.

We lived right across the street from my Grandparents. Mom had to work, of course, so their house was our second home, and they always kept an eye on us. Grandma had, without a doubt, forever established herself as the matriarch of the family. She was a woman of high character and intelligence, and was way ahead of her time in many different areas; one of which was the implementation of an holistic form of taking care of oneself. She voraciously read all that she could on holistic medicine and adopted the lifestyle for herself and my Grandfather, and saw to it that we all learned it, as well. She also strongly believed in reflexology and would come over to rub our feet for us whenever we didn’t feel well. She and Grandpa …. they were, and still are, our guardian angels. Life was hard for my mother, trying to raise the three of us all by herself. My Grandparents were always there for us, giving us whatever we needed; helping us with whatever we might need help with; taking care of us when we were sick; and so much more. Grandma rocked me in her big red rocker and sang hymns to me. It was on her knee that I learned of God and His love for me.

She was a beautiful woman, inside and out. She had the most beautiful skin I’ve ever seen on any person in my life. When she passed on 12 years ago, she hardly had a wrinkle. Her wavy white hair shone every day; her smile lit up her whole face; and her gray eyes twinkled with love for her family.

Why am I telling you all this? Because I want you to know she lived, and lived well. And she loved …. completely. And this world was a better place while she was in it. Especially my world. She was, and is, and always will be, loved.

Happy Birthday, Grandma!
xoxoxoxo