I want to share someone very special with you today.

My Gram….

On January 25th, she turned 99.

I want to share her with you because she’s a very important part of my life. 

Gram has always been my special person.  There’s just something about the two of us and the relationship we have with one another. 

One special thing is that for the last 22 years, she and I have had a standing Friday lunch date. 

Until a few years ago, I would drive to her house each Friday and she would have her homemade chili and bologna salad waiting for me. 

We would enjoy conversations around books we were reading, happenings around town, and a Friday never went by without her saying, “Kimmie, you are always working too hard. You’re going to make yourself sick.”

Around age 93, though, I could see it was time for her to surrender the cooking, so we began going to a local cafe for our Friday lunch date.  She became quite the celebrity there. 

Unfortunately, she’s now been in the nursing home for the last three years, so our dinner dates have changed once again.

They usually include me bringing her favorite fried fish from the local grocery diner along with a sweet treat because Gram loves her sweet treats. She eats those first!

 We sit in her small room with a TV tray table and enjoy our lunch date.  I will say they are much quieter dates than they use to be. 

I wanted to share this picture of her because she’s such a beauty and she shines her light upon everyone who has the honor of meeting her.

 A few wonderful things about my gram.

🙏🏻 Gram loves God and has been dedicated to him her whole life.

She told me once that she was very sick as an 18-year-old, and she told God if he spared her life, she would pray to him for the rest of her life.

She held true to this promise by praying the rosary daily and another set of prayers she prayed morning and afternoon.

😌 Gram has always been a very content person. She had a lot of struggles, but somehow she chose not to focus on those and always felt very blessed.

💡Gram has a great smile and laugh that lights up a room. Every time I see her, she lights up with this smile.

🌟 Gram is a nonjudgmental person. Something I’m still working on in my own life.

💚 Gram has taught me many things, especially in our 22 years of weekly lunch dates, simply by unintentionally modeling for me that life is a blessing and that choosing happiness is important.

I think I struck gold when God chose me to be her granddaughter, and I love her fiercely.

Is there someone special in your life?

One who loves you unconditionally?

If so, I would love you to tell me who and all about them! 

A big thank you to everyone who completed my Happy Academy survey. Chrissy Marsh from Brocton Central School District won the Amazon gift card!  Congrats Chrissy!

P.S.

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