Today in History

Eighty years ago today my mother's mother was born somewhere in Idaho, I don't remember exactly. Some things I do know about her: she has six children and 18 or 19 grandchildren and a bunch of great-grandchildren. She went to the same middle school/junior high school as me, Franklin, in Yakima. Like my mother and I, she is the third oldest child in her family and like my mother and I, her birthday falls on the 23rd day of the month. She plays bingo. She worked in an apple packing warehouse for many years. Her mother died at age 96 when I was in the fourth grade. Her husband died when I was in the 10th grade after being partially paralyzed for more than 15 years. He fought in World War II. She grew up in an orchard in the Yakima Valley and at harvest time, actual real-life indians in teepees would camp out in the orchard to work. She doesn't like having her picture taken. She is a wonderful grandmother and great-grandmother.

For her birthday my mom and aunts and uncles are throwing a big bash in Franklin Park in Yakima. We won't be able to attend, but we did send a little message and picture for the "memory book" or whatever you want to call it that my aunt is putting together. Here's what I said.

Dear Grandma,

We love you.

Thanks for being such a great hugger. Maggie, Levi and I all agree that you give the world's best hugs every time we see you, which isn't nearly as often as we'd like.

Thanks for making Maggie feel so much like a part of the family. Thanks for loving her like you would one of your own grandkids.

Thanks for being such an awesome Great Grandma. Levi loves you. A lot.

Thanks for letting us all get together at your house every Christmas Eve. Even if we never did get to open the presents as soon as I wanted (as soon as we got there!).

Thanks for letting us run wild in The Shop back in the day. And thanks for the lemonade or water or whatever it was we needed to drink after spending a hot summer afternoon baking in The Attic.

Thanks for giving me my first taste of coffee when I was three years old. I'm sorry that I spit it out all over you. I like it now!

Thanks for everything you've done for our family. From teaching me to play bingo to so many other things.

Most of all, thanks for being a part of our lives. We love you.

Love,
Schuyler, Maggie and Levi

Geez, it's getting a little dusty in here. Somebody turn on the air filter.