That is how old my Granny turned yesterday...97, a truly incredible feat!!  Two of my cousins and I planned her birthday party that was held yesterday, and I think it went over pretty well!  She told me she had a happy, happy birthday which was the goal of the whole evening.  She is truly an amazing woman...she gave birth to 13 children including 10 boys in a row (she has the patience of a saint!!), has been a widow since the 1960's, and has a tremendous love for her family and for her God.  She is soft-spoken and gentle, but she is razor sharp with her wit.  I would say we probably had about 80-90 people that came to her party which shows how much she is loved by all.  Her health has been declining for a few years, and even more quickly during the last few months.   That is totally to be expected for a lady of her age, but when you are used to seeing your Granny whip around town driving her own car into her 90's, rapid changes like we have seen lately are hard to take.  She is still living at home, which is a total blessing considering someone needs to be with her 24-7 and the family has really stepped up to the plate by taking on that huge responsibility.  But, we are hoping for the best and are looking forward to several more holidays with this very special lady.  Happy birthday, Granny!

Our branch of the family tree

My cousins Marti and Amanda and me with Granny