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.

Read my previous post: Music Monday - "The Woodpecker Song" by Glenn Miller

Birthday: My Daughter

Twenty-three years ago today I gave birth to my first offspring. She was beautiful at the moment I met her and she's still beautiful today.

We all look at our brand new babies and wonder what kind of people they will grow up to be, what they will look like, what their voices will sound like, what kind of friends they'll have, and giftings they'll possess. After 23 years, I can look back and all of those questions have been answered.

She's unique in personality and is content to be that way. She's not afraid to be different and not go along with the crowd "because everybody is doing it". (In fact, quite the opposite!)

I know what her voice sounds like, because she talks non-stop and fast! I've had to tell her many times to slow down because I can't listen that fast!

She's had amazing friends who have all challenged her, loved her, encouraged her and helped her to fall more in love with Jesus and to grow as a person. I've always been proud of the group of young people she surrounded herself with.

My baby girl has always had a book with her from the time she was old enough to carry one. She never left home without one and still doesn't now. Yesterday she had to wait for some service work on her car that took longer than she expected. I got a text that said: "Good thing I've got my book." Yep, no surprise!

She is an amazing young lady and I am so proud to have her for my daughter. She brings lots of fun and laughter into our lives and I will miss her when she has to move out someday. But then...I will wait for grandchildren and start the wondering all over again.

HAPPY 23rd BIRTHDAY, GORGEOUS DAUGHTER! I LOVE YOU!

She always had a book and a stuffed animal with her! (And she's still a lover of animals.) (1992)

Read my previous post: 8 Lessons We Can Learn From Snoopy

Happy Birthday, Michigan

(c) Michigan-Map.Org

Today is Michigan's 175th Birthday!

On my dad's side, my great-great grandparents immigrated to Michigan from Denmark in 1868, when Michigan was only thirty-one years old.

Another set of great grandparents immigrated to Michigan, from Lithuania in 1906.

On my mom's side, great-great grandparents came to America from The Netherlands in 1893.

Michigan is known as the Auto Capital of the world, but West Michigan is also known for its furniture manufacturing. My grandpa retired from American Seating in 1974 after working there 32 years.

Grandpa's ID Card from 1942. Wow, he was only 30-years-old!

Grandpa's (l) Retirement Party, 32 years later in 1974

Today is also the 101st wedding anniversary of my Great Grandma and Grandpa Durdle. I wonder if they knew it was Michigan's birthday when they got married.

Michigan's state bird is the robin. I LOVE robins! When I see them in the spring I know spring is here! There may be another snowfall or two, but for the most part the long winter and icy-cold temperatures are over!

Michigan also has some fabulous farming! I realize how blessed I am to live in "America's Salad Bowl" and have so much wonderful, fresh produce from May to December at the farmers markets that pop up all over. My favorite is in Holland.

I love living in West Michigan. It's tough this time of year when it's so cold and gray, and usually quite snowy. (We've had a very mild winter so far.) It's so easy for us to complain about the temperatures, the bad driving, the cars and footwear dirty with salt and slush, but our memories are short when we see those robins coming back. Spring, summer and fall are so beautiful and rich with color, and experiencing the change in seasons is so much fun!

And winter can be quite beautiful, too. Especially when we don't have to drive in it!

My happy places are found in West Michigan; I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Read my previous post: Apps: Calendar
Read my next post: Battle With A Princess

Birthday: Grandpa

Grandpa and his mom, Great Grandma, Circa 1978

Today would be my grandpa's 100th birthday!

This picture was taken in the late 1970s at Grandpa's house; he died in August 1999.

Happy Birthday, Grandpa. I miss you.

Read my previous post: Birthday: Husband
Read my next post: Candles and Snow

Birthday: Husband

My husband and I in Grand Haven, MI, August 2011

Today is my husband's birthday, so I've been plotting and planning.

I brought coffee to him at work this morning, the new Starbucks Veranda roast. Yum!

I will be making one of his favorite dinners tonight, meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy and corn. (I will be eating leftover pizza.) I will have candle-light and Chris Botti playing on my iPod. (Both kids will be gone so it will be just the two of us.)

And the rare occurrence that I found a great birthday gift...we, I mean he is getting a new shower head. (OK, by default...we.) Thrilling as that may sound, it's better than the socks and underwear he asked for at Christmas.

Oh, rats, I forgot about a pie, which he prefers to cake. I'll have to see what I can whip up!

Read my previous post: Clothes on the Line
Read my next post: Birthday: Grandpa