Grandma’s 85th Birthday

This past Sunday, January 20th, my Grandma Green (my dad’s mom) turned 85 years old.  We had a come-and-go party in her honor.  The party was very nice.  Caleb and I only drove over for the afternoon instead of spending the weekend as we had planned. My mom had the FLU and my dad was still recovering from it.  We missed Nana being at the party and hated her being sick!  (FYI…I didn’t fear the flu as badly until mom and dad got it and have been sick for 2 weeks or more!  YUCK!!!)

Grandma has always been a very important part of my life as I grew up across the yard from her.  Here are some special things I remember about growing up beside my grandma…

• She always kept Little Debbie cakes in a specific tupperware bowl in a specific cabinet so we always knew where the stash was and could take as we pleased:)  She also had Schwan’s ice cream sandwiches, which was a real treat for us!
• She had an intercom that ran underground from our house to hers.  The reason for this was that we had to majorly cut expenses when my dad went back to school when I was 5.  One of those expenses to be cut was the home phone, so we would give Grandma’s number to anyone who needed our home phone number, and she would intercom us when we got a phone call! Pretty funny to think about now with all the phone technology that we have:)
• She ran “Grandma’s taxi service” for a little while after her retirement and before I got my license.  I can remember her taking me to cheerleading practice very early on summer mornings and picking me up from practices after school.
• She usually fixed lunch on summer days for the farm boys and Ashley and me.  I would often go over around 11:30 so I could help set the table and finish up lunch with her.  She had a TV in her kitchen, so we would watch the weather and grain prices on the news (important info for a farmer…), and then she loved to watch “The Bold and the Beautiful” after lunch.
• She was always very active (and still is for her age!) and enjoyed going on trips to Batesville, AR with Ashley and me to visit our Aunt Linda.  She was especially happy when we got our license so we could do the driving!!
• She enjoyed working in her flowers and would always push mow her yard!  My dad would always fuss at her for choosing the hottest part of the summer days, but she did it anyhow:)
• She and I took many walks together down the field rows behind our house.  We would stop and eat the honeysuckle, and of course, Grandma had to pick up any trash along the way!!
• She lost the love of her life, Grandpa Green, many years ago…22 to be exact.  It was a hard transition, but she did very well!
• She went on a trip to Orlando, FL in 1998 with Mom, Ashley, Aunt Linda, Dean, Jacob, and me.  We had a great time…it was my first time to Disney World, and my first time to see the ocean.
• She worked many years (too many for me to know, but she could tell you) at the bank in Malden, MO as the secretary for the president.  She knew everyone because of this, so if you ever went anywhere in Malden, plan to take a while why she talked to everyone she saw (and she likes to talk…Ha!).

There are many more memories that I have in my mind, these are just a few that came as I was writing.  I was very blessed to grow up next door to my wonderful Grandma!!  I am thankful that she played such an important role in my life growing up and continues an important role even today!  I am thankful that my children know her and love her.  They always plan to see Grandma when they go to Papa and Nana’s house.  She is the only great-grandparent that they know and remember.  She raised a wonderful man whose is my father and has loved my mom as her own.

We love you, Grandma!!!