Monday, March 19, 2012

Birthday: Mother-In-Law (A Tribute)

My mother-in-law, Elner, would've turned 94-years-old today. What a bonus to have such beautiful weather for a mid-March birthday today!

Elner (not a typo, her dad wanted a son and was going to name him Elmer) was born on March 19, 1918. She married Edward on October 17, 1937 and they had three children: my husband and his sister and brother. (My husband is the youngest.)

One of my favorite Elner-stories is of when she found out she was pregnant for her first-born. A visit to her doctor brought about the happy news that she was expecting.

"Well how did that get in there?" she asked in complete innocence. Much to her shock, the doctor explained how.

"You gotta be kidding me! How is it going to get out?" she asked. To which the reply was, "Mrs. Fannon, the same way it got in." She was horrified!

Elner had eleven grandchildren and twenty-one great-grandchildren and she treated each one with love, respect and fairness. In our current day, when everybody is so focused on themselves, Elner's life was all about her family.

Elner was a woman who loved God and lived her life in a way that was pleasing to Him. Because of this, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren respected her and would come to her for advice and to benefit from her wisdom.

As she got older and began to have health problems, the family pulled together to help her and to look after her the way she looked after so many of us through the years.

Elner never saved anyone from a burning building or performed some miraculous feat, but to her family she was a hero because of the way she lived her life. She lived it with grace, love, respect and most remembered is her extremely generous spirit.

I'm proud to say that I was able to be at the side of a true hero when she drew her last breath. On November 23, 2004, Elner passed on to her reward in Jesus.

Happy Birthday, Ma. I love you and I miss you.

Elner and Edward, Thanksgiving, November 1937, one month after they were married.The dress she is wearing is a beautiful deep blue velvet, and is the one she was married in.


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