Grandma's 75th

Last night, we celebrated my Grandmother's 75th birthday. The evening was filled with great memories shared by family and friends. I wrote the following and shared last night as a tribute to my Grandmother. I am also including the slideshow documenting her life. Enjoy!

My Turn

Grandma--the matriarch of the Segovia family; the glue that holds us together is celebrating 75 years with us. Her cherished family and friends. Wow! I am constantly amazed by her; she looks so young in her 75 years--not at all her age. Her beauty radiates from every inch of her being. You can feel her unconditional love the first time you meet her, the warmth, the kindness, the generosity just comes out naturally. She is a prime example of what it means to be a wife, mother, grandmother and friend.

She has raised 6 children who in turn raised 13 grandchildren who are now raising 22 great-grandchildren. With the added number of spouses you can imagine how crowded and loud our family gatherings are! Each family unit is so busy! We have church, sports, friendships, work and just everyday life; but when Grandma calls--we come running. Will we still come running? I pray in the future that the busyness of life will not overwhelm us to the point that we will not be intentional about getting together as a family.

Think about what Grandma has done for you. She has been our confidant, encourager, caregiver and the list goes on! Can we as her legacy give back to our children and parents what she has been to us? What have I learned? What have you learned?

I have learned from my mother how to have a servants heart. A trait no doubt she learned from Grandma. How can I keep the legacy going? Will I instill those values and traditions into my children? I will try. I will cherish the times I have with Grandma to gain all that I can. I will learn to cook like her, be a better listener like her, love unconditionally like her and most of all be a better mother and wife like her. Traits my mother learned, traits I hope I have and am continually learning, and those I pray my daughter will learn.