Staying Grounded in Minnesota: Let's Celebrate!

Yesterday, we celebrated my Grandma's 80th birthday! My Grandma Marianne is of extreme importance to me. Not only am I named after her, she is one of my best friends. We have a very close bond, one that started when I was very young. I don't know if part of it is because I am the eldest grand-daughter or I was just fortunate enough to spend lots of time with my grandma and grandpa growing up...either way, it doesn't matter. There was no other place I wanted to be yesterday, than celebrating her day of birth!!!

Our family is getting quite large. All of the grandchildren are getting grown, married, having children of their own, full time jobs, college...so the times that we are ALL together are very slim. We try for Christmas, but yesterday we all made a grand effort to be there and it was a HUGE success. It meant so much to Grandma to have us all there!!!! For her gift, we all chipped in and got her a Chamilia bracelet and filled it with charms. The greens and blues are her favorite colors and each charm had special meaning from the person giving it!

Some of my favorite memories with my Grandma include:

-the love that she shared with my Grandpa

-our trips to the cabin on Rainy Lake

-spending a summer with her while I worked at Bethel

-when my dad had his brain injury, we had special "dates"

-our mutual love for the theatre and trips to shows every other month

-taking a cruise to Alaska with Grandma, mom, and my sister

-when I first was starting at Bethel, my Grandma was along for every step of it. She came to orientation, she came to first chapel, she helped me move, we even went to the cemetery to visit my Grandpa because he was right down the road

-Rummikubs and Bridgemix...enough said!!!!

-sleepovers at my moms and watching movies

-having her at my wedding

These are just a small handful of my favorite memories. What I value the most? Her love, her friendship, how she smells and the softness of her hands. Family is very important to me and she is the head of our family. I have great respect for her and the role that she plays. I have learned so much from her, about being a woman, a mother, a wife, a Christian, and just a good person. Happy Birthday Grandma! Thank you from the bottom of my heart, thank you for being you, and for always believing in me!