My family has loved me well to celebrate my 75th birthday week! Six full days of fun and rhyming clues.

Today ended the celebrations with brunch at Larisa’s and Phillip’s house. Except for Sophie, all my children and grandchildren were there plus my wonderful nephew Josh and his gorgeous family.

Brunch started off with a video collage put together by Sophie!

Yes, I cried watching it. So tender.

Then fabulous food – lots of talking and laughing and love. I got a photo of me with each of my family members. Plus Sophie and Jesse called and FaceTimed with us all.

My mother died three and a half years ago. I miss her, but she was 98 and had had a severe stroke. When I’d visit those last few years before her death, she’d remark, “I don’t know why I keep on living!”

Then last week, my mother’s house finally sold. My brother, Terrell, was the executor of Mother ‘s estate, and he handled everything so well. Mother would be so proud of him and all of us for how fairly and friendly we handled distributing all her belongings. She grew up during the Great Depression when you didn’t throw away anything because it might come in handy someday. So, her house was packed, making it an enormous job for all of us – but especially Terrell and Sheila, to go through everything. But it was done and finally the house was emptied, repairs done, and it sold.

Terrell immediately sent each sibling their portion of the disbursement from mother ‘s estate.

I received my check today. After I signed for it and left the post office, I sat in my car and opened the envelope. On the note line, Terrell had written “disbursement from Ruth Shaw estate.”

Oh my! It’s been 3 1/2 years. I thought I had adjusted to it, but seeing those words were startling and the fact that my mother is gone hit me all over again. I had to take awhile to get myself back together before I could drive home.

Is excessive independence a bad thing? For some reason, this morning I’ve been thinking of my experience going to an art workshop in Spain in September 2024.

The airline lost my suitcase. In that suitcase were all my art supplies – my easel, panels, paints, paint brushes, and, of course, all my clothes. So I was at an art workshop without any art supplies. I could buy some replacement clothes. However, art supplies for oil painting are only available at specialty stores which were not any where near the little Spanish village where the art workshop was held.

So, what did I do? What COULD I do? I was able to find some pencils, and a sketchbook at a little tourist shop, and I decided I’d take photos and do sketches instead of painting.

Now the workshop instructor and all the workshop participants were so kind and eager to help me out. They offered to share their art supplies and equipment with me until my luggage arrived. However, not wanting to inconvenience anyone, I declined their offers. We would go to unbelievably scenic and historical places, and I would take out my phone and sketch pad, take photos, and sketch. Very unsatisfying for me since I’m a very rough sketcher.

One day I decided to accept help, and I borrowed a panel, put paint on a piece of plastic, and a friend loaned me a little cup to hold Gamsol. I painted a small 5×7 painting of sailboats in a harbor, and I loved it! Not great art – but satisfying art. That’s what I could have done every day – but I didn’t. It has taken me over a year to realize that I could’ve handled the situation better. At the time, I didn’t even consider handling it differently than I did. My suitcase wasn’t delivered until the last day of the workshop. So I did part of one other painting when Ron and I were in France on our own after the workshop. But that was all for a week long art workshop in Spain.

One evening, when I was a little girl in the 1950s, I pulled a tooth and put it under my pillow – anticipating the usual quarter that it would earn. I woke up, and under my pillow was a dime. A dime? That wasn’t enough! My father seemed amused and said to keep looking. I kept looking.  Between the mattress and the box springs, I found a nickel. Keep looking!  Inside the pillowcase, I found another dime. What fun! I had my 25 cents, but I got it via a mini-hunt. That was so much more exciting than a solitary quarter directly under the pillow! That excitement stayed in my memory.

Fast forward about 25 years, and my own daughter lost her first tooth. Remembering the fun of that long ago morning, I wrote out some rhyming clues for her and had her looking throughout the house for money and gifts. I AM my father’s daughter, after all – and that meant that I went all out on whatever I did – and if I was going to be a scavenger hunt tooth fairy, then I would make the most elaborate scavenger hunt with rhyming clues that I possibly could. Thus, throughout their childhoods, my two children celebrated each tooth – each special occasion – with increasingly convoluted hunts and rhymes.

Fast forward another 25 years, and my daughter did the same for her girls. My daughter even called me one time to teasingly chastise me for getting her into such a time-consuming endeavor. Being a scavenger-hunt-creating tooth fairy is a lot of work!

Fast forward, again, to yesterday when I celebrated my 75^th birthday.  First thing in the morning, I received the following text in the family text thread:

75 trips around the sun,

So much love and so much fun!!

We have thought long and hard about the best way to celebrate you!

The best mother and GC that any kids or grandkids ever knew!

As little kids the best surprise came with a hunt;

It’s the only way to get the special thing you want!

Birthday wishes throughout the day,

But none of us will give it away.

Later today you will get your first clue and a special treat!

Which of your family will deliver something so sweet?

We love you so!
Happy Birthday to YOU!!!!!

Throughout the day I had phone calls and texts from my children, my children’s spouses, and each of my granddaughters. Then last night Ron and I went out to eat at a favorite restaurant in Nashville. When we got home, we settled in our recliners, and suddenly there was Joey, Meleah, Evelyn, and Bradley at the door – with a birthday cake and another rhymed clue. The cake was chocolate and scrumptious, and the clue was fun!

Happy 75^th birthday!

Today is just the first clue

How many days will we celebrate you?

1 day, 2 days, 3 or more

Each day it is you we will adore.

Tomorrow you shall received clue number 2

A treat there will await you.

Where shall you go?

Where your skin will glow!

At 11:00 a.m. cash this token in

And you will get your first win!

Love,

Your family

So this morning at 11:00 this morning, I went to Meleah’s business, pureSkin Wellness and had a Glow2Facial – which makes my skin feel absolutely wonderful. As I was about to leave, I saw a paper propped next to my purse. Another clue!

Hope you enjoyed your very first win

And feel that gorgeous glow on  your skin.

Tomorrow it’s going to be a sweet treat

And a video meet and greet!

We know you love your grandgirls and us all

So anytime with them is always a ball.

Tomorrow there is a call you shall take

And a sweet visit with a cupcake.

Will the big surprise end there?

We shall keep you on the edge of your chair.

Happy birthday!

Love,

Your family

So I am eagerly anticipating tomorrow. “Video meet and greet” sounds exciting! I’m guessing it may be one of the older grandgirls who are off being all grown up and independent in other cities. Or maybe it’s Larisa who has been out of town since the weekend. I am perfectly okay with celebrating my birthday for multiple days. When you’re 75, it’s a good thing!

Have you ever read or heard someone declare that once you’ve prayed about something one time, you need to let it go and wait for God’s response? However, Jesus taught that it’s okay to keep on coming to God with whatever is weighing on our hearts.

#livingrealwithcarol, #themediansib, #praywithoutceasing

In the May 26th My Utmost for His Highest devotional, Oswald Chambers writes about prayer, and it helped me understand prayer better. Maybe I’m not such a bad “pray-er” after all.

#livingrealwithcarol, #themediansib, #prayerbreathing

I am learning so much this year by reading the chronological Bible. Although I’m in the New Testament now, there was a reference to Malachi. It is interesting how seeing a word or phrase can lead a person to other memories and thoughts. From my reading specialist days, that’s “making connections” which is a cornerstone of reading comprehension and understanding. Here are my thoughts about God’s wings.

#livingrealwithcarol #undergodswings, #daddyswings, #themediansib, #biblereading