Happy Birthday Grandma

For my entire life this day, November 27th, has been a cause for celebration. It's the birthday of Barbara MacDonald, my mother's mother, my grandmother. Today she would have been 86 years old.

Grandma loved birthdays. She loved chocolate cake and presents and singing the Happy Birthday song. And as a family, we loved celebrating her day as well. It was always great fun because her birthday would fall either on Thanksgiving or the day or two after and the whole family would get together, share a meal and cake, and often, help her put up her Christmas tree.

Grandma's been gone now just over six months. There are times when I forget and I think about calling her or sending her a letter. There are times when I remember and I can't stop myself from crying. But mostly, I just think of all the time we spent together. All the birthdays, all the conversations, all the moments. I think about her all the time. I think about how much I miss her and how much she loved me, and how she showed she loved me. She was an amazing woman. And so today, I celebrate her birthday by celebrating her memory and her life because of how much she shaped mine. I love you, Grandma.