Happy Birthday Gmom!

I haven't been blogging much lately. I've just had too much on my mind and too many things to do. Also, sometimes I want to write things down but I don't want to offend anyone and so instead of censoring my thoughts . . .I just don't write. I've added "write" to my to do list EVERY SINGLE day this week and here it is Saturday and I'm going to write SOMETHING. 

My mother-in-law is a pretty spectacular person! She just celebrated her 96th birthday in July. If you live locally, please don't tell her that I told her age!! I think it is something to be proud of but she has never been one to reveal her age.

Right at the end of June she fell and broke her hip. She has only had one other broken bone in her life. She had a hip replacement and spent a few days in a local hospital and then was transferred to a rehab hospital where she wowed the staff. She stayed less than 2 weeks in rehab and then moved back to her home. Mark's sister flew in and stayed about a month with her mom and now we are taking turns spending the night with her and checking on her throughout the day.

She had only been home from rehab for a few days when her birthday rolled around. We celebrated her during Sunday lunch at her house. We have eaten Sunday lunch at her house for our entire married life -- actually, I was invited even when Mark and I were dating. That is an important thing to know because when the rehab staff came into her room and asked her for a goal -- her goal was to get home to her house and cook Sunday lunch for the family. I don't think she will be cooking lunch for us anytime soon. . .maybe ever again . . .but we can still eat lunch at her house by getting take outs or cooking the food at home and bringing it to her house.

She looks pretty good!

She was so happy because all

FOUR of her adult children

were around her table that day!

Caramel Pecan cake - She loves nuts! I bought
the cake from the Piggly Wiggly - a woman
in Alabama makes them and sells them
through the grocery store. I brought it
home and covered it in pecans.

The altar flowers at church. Mark
and I sponsored the flowers in honor
of her birthday. She actually started
this ministry. Our chancel area
is large and needs a large 
arrangement. The cost is
prohibitive if you have a florist
make them each week. My mother-
in-law started the flower guild
and their motto is "flowers to
the glory of God." Each week,
people can sponsor the flowers
($60 - going up again this next
year probably) in honor
or in memory of someone.
Then volunteers purchase the
flowers, cut flowers from their
own yards, and sometimes
from other people's yards and
make these spectacular
arrangements each week. Pre-covid
the flowers were dismantled on
Monday and many smaller arrangements
were made and carried to our
homebound members and to those
in the hospital, etc.

Church members and friends have been so kind to come by and visit with her over the last few weeks. Over the years she has been a friend to many and she is loved much. We are thankful for her and we love her so much!!