This time of year days in Minnesota can get long and dark.
But some VIPs in my life were born during these cold days
of winter and I'd like to say a bit about each of them.
January 19: My Grandma Stock, my mom's mom. As you can
see from this photo taken in the early 1900s she was lovely. But she
wasn't just lovely on the outside, she was lovely inside. We don't talk a lot
about her any more because she's been gone since 1968. She
raised 9 children on a working farm with very few creature comforts.
It was a hard life, to be sure, but she never complained. She always
had a kind word for everyone and made each of her 30 grandchildren
feel like they were someone special. Her kitchen was a wondrous place...
full of the aromas of great cooking and good conversation. She read
books when she had a spare moment, kept scrapbooks of poems and
worked hard for the Ladies Aid at her church. But my favorite memory
of her is in her big rocker, with a baby or maybe 2 on her lap and
the great fun my cousins and I had playing in her big old farmhouse.
She was a great role model...a supportive wife, a loving mother
and the kind of grandma who never kept count of how
many cookies or candy bars you ate.
Jan. 21: This little girl was just 2 1/2 when this picture was taken on a trip
to Disney World....note the grin on her face. She's grown
up to be a smart, kind, lovely daughter. She works hard
but also enjoys her little boys, her parents and her family. She's also a wonderful
wife and mother and the apple of her father's eye.
Love you, Jess....
Feb. 3: My dad was this kind of dad...down on the floor
or shagging fly balls in the yard or telling a funny joke.
He worked 3-4 jobs at a time when I was young
but I never felt like we were poor (although I think we were).
I always felt safe, secure and loved. He wasn't perfect,
but he was perfect for me.
Feb. 4: This picture of Ami was taken when she was still
fairly new to our family. But she was and still is like a
ray of sunshine....funny, warm, and lively. We never
struggle for conversation when she's around. She's exactly
what you hope your son will find. Someone who loves
and supports him and loves her kids to pieces.
I also mentioned last week that it was Nathaniel's 10th birthday
and my mom's birthday is coming up on Feb. 20. So even
though the days are cold and gray, we have lots of
reasons to find warmth and comfort inside.
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