Happy Birthday Mamo

I lost one of the greatest women I've ever had the privilege of knowing this past summer... My dear grandma, Mamo.  Tomorrow would have been her 91st birthday; she wanted so badly to live to see 100.  Mamo was integral in shaping the person that I am today.  She fostered my creativity and expected nothing but the best I had to offer.  She passed down her knowledge of textiles and sewing as well as quilting.  I inherited her sense of color, her dry witt, her love of design and most importantly her love of God.  I was fortunate to spend every single day of my childhood in her presence as well as just about every day of my adult life too.  My children are lucky enough to also have spent most of their lives growing up with her and have many fond memories to hold for the rest of their lives.  Mamo was one tough lady ~ strong in will, spirit, heart, and body.  She was the one that held our family together through the good times and the not so good times.  I'm blessed with a lifetime of memories that I pull out and wrap myself up in.  Goofy things like how she use to always make sure there were Lucky Charms for me at her house because my mom wouldn't buy "junk" food like that, and she never said a word when all I ate was the marshmallows and left the cereal.  When I was in jr. high home ec and the teacher didn't know how to make the pants I'd chosen as my project, so Mamo had me sneak my project home so she could help me make them and get an A.  Or all the driving lessons, not to mention before I was old enough to drive, all the years that she took me to the bus stop every single morning and was there to pick me up every single afternoon.  And the home made malts and stove top popcorn every Saturday night growing up to enjoy while we watched Lawrence Welk.  I hated that show, but I loved my time sitting next to her, listening to her hum along.  This year, as she celebrates her first birthday in Heaven, I hope that she knows what a legacy she left here in her family.  I see her in each one of my girls, I find her in myself at times, and boy oh boy do I see her in my mom:)  I hope that I leave as wonderful a legacy as she has someday.