HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA!!

I know, I know. I already posted this layout that I did for Bella Blvd. But since my grandma is truly my hero, I figured she deserved another post. This woman traveled to California when I was a year old to take me back to Milwaukee with her after learning my mother, a pregnant mother of four, was just diagnosed with cervical cancer. I lived with her for a year, until the rest of my family could re-join us. For the next ten years to follow, I stayed with her on and off when my mom would receive cancer treatments. Once my mom died, a couple weeks after my eleventh birthday, I pretty much stayed with her on weekends. We would talk, and talk , and talk until all hours. She would tell me stories...so many stories, and I loved listening, even if I had heard it before. So many nights we'd stay up playing Scrable, Rummy 500, and many other games.

As I got older, our relationship grew even stronger. I could talk to her about anything. We would talk every night on the phone, and I remember every New Years Eve (when I wasn't with her), I would call her a minute or two before midnight and we'd do the countdown into the new year.

My one regret is that my children will never be able to experience such a bond with their Grandmother. But for now, I hold all those wonderful stories deep in my heart, and share them when I get the opportunity. And , of course, that's what scrapbooks are for!

On Halloween, in 1995, it was my grandmas 85th birthday, and the whole family went over to her house that year, and every Halloween to celebrate. All the kids would be in costume and she loved seeing everyone. On this particular morning, I was talking to Grandma, and she told me that she never, ever dressed up for Halloween. Well, I just wasn't gonna hear of that, so I quickly made a witches costume, and got over to her house early. She dressed in the costume, and as the various families arrived, she greeted them at the door. When Alyssa saw her, she said, "Grandma, you already have a real witches' nose!" Oops...but Grandma had such a great sense of humor, it made her laugh so hard. The picture looks a little scary, but I think it was the angle... oh well, witches are supposed to look scary anyway!

Happy Birthday, Grandma! I love and Miss you!!!

That's Alyssa as Princess Jasmine