Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Today is the day!

My grandmother -- my dad's mom -- is now 100 years old!

I don't know what it is about the Midwest that seems to have given it a corner on the market of centenarians, but it's pretty amazing.

100 years.

Think about it. I'm not even half that old yet (though give me two years and a few days, and I'll be there).

1909 was when Robert Peary reached the North Pole.

The price of a first class postage stamp in the United States was 2 cents in 1909.

In 1909, Taft is inaugurated as President of the U.S., and star baseball players at the time include Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, and Cy Young. In fact, Babe Ruth was only fourteen years old in 1909 and wouldn't start playing professional ball for another five years!

In 1909, the Army Air Corps was formed, and the Wright Brothers delivered the first batch of planes.

1909 was a long time ago!

Grandma, you've given us so much laughter and joy through the years!

Grandma, do you remember when you, Grandpa, and I were eating dinner in a rotating restaurant in a skyscraper in Los Angeles, and you put your purse on the ledge behind you, only to turn around a half hour later and find that your purse had "moved" to the other side of the restaurant (we were the ones that had moved)? You were laughing so hard that you embarrassed Grandpa!

Grandma, do you remember when you and Grandpa took your three grandkids to Gatlinburg for the week, and we three kids were practicing our animal sounds in the back seat as we drove to the mountains? Grandpa stopped the car and gave us a mild scolding, but you were laughing so hard you had tears in your eyes.

And on the way back from Gatlinburg, we had promised to not make pig noises. So instead, we pretended we were speaking Chinese, and finally Grandpa just pulled over to the side of the road, turned off the car, and walked across the street to a coffee shop. You told us that we needed to stop speaking Japanese, but we patiently explained to you that we were speaking Chinese. And again you laughed hard.

Do you remember the first time you visited us in North Carolina? You were prancing around the house singing a Christmas Rap that you made up as you went. "'Twas the night before Christmas (boom cha cha choo) and all through the house (boom cha cha choo), not a creature was stirring (boom cha cha choo), not even (pause) a mouse (boom cha cha choo)."

You were there when I was born. Mom was alone in Norfolk, Virginia, because Dad was in the Navy and his ship was out at sea when I was born, so you came to be with Mom.

You were there the weekend that Jen and I made the Iowa All State Band, and you rejoiced with us when we returned from the tryouts.

You were there when I graduated from high school, sitting proudly in the audience.

Over the years we've had so much laughter together, along with the tears. You've gotten to know each of my kids, and that means so much to me, Grandma.

They love you, Grandma.
Grandma, I love you too.
Happy Birthday, Grandma!