Hey you guys! Happy Tuesday! I wanted to take a little time tonight to honor a very special lady in my life. I will be on the road to a football game (YAY IT'S BACK) on Thursday, but before I do that, I will be calling my Granny to wish her a Happy Birthday. She will be 94 years young this week and I'm so glad that she is around and still being all snarky in her later years.
Look at how beautiful she is:
Can y'all believe she is 94? I hope I look that good if I live to be her age.
She's all smiles because she just got some new teeth this week. I mean, who wouldn't be happy about some new dentures?
My cousin Maranda posted on Facebook the other day: "This sweet, outspoken, opinionated lady has a birthday this week!!! I feel beyond blessed to have her in my life. She never fails to make me laugh. I'm not sure she knows she will be 94 on Thursday because she doesn't act a day over 60."
This is so true about my sweet Granny. Even though she's slowed down over the years, it's hard to believe it's 94. And I think she has a hard time believing it too.
I'm writing my post tonight with her in mind and some of the things she's taught me over the years. Like my cousin mentioned, she is outspoken and opinionated (I wonder where I get that from???). Here are a few life lessons that I would like to share with you guys straight from Granny P.
1. Always take good care of your skin because you only get one face. I've watched this lady sit at the kitchen table at night, pull out her face mirror, and slather on Estee Lauder face crème. This is her ritual. She hasn't deviated from this unless maybe she's in the hospital, but even if she is, she's asking for the face crème. And it's paid off. Her skin is so beautiful at her age.
2. Don't be afraid to do want you want when it comes to planning your funeral. Ok so a few years ago, Granny, my mom and I went on one of our usual Saturday shopping excursions. Little did I know, we were shopping for her burial outfit. That's because every year, we all get this line "Well, I'm not going to be around much longer...so we better be prepared". She said that when she was 80... Anyway, her shopping adventure lead to the purchase of some really nice pink...pajamas, and a matching robe. And no shoes. She said her feet her hurt enough here on earth that she was not going to enter the pearly gates with shoes on. Upon making her outfit purchase, it's since been wrapped in tissue paper and lays in a drawer so we all know where to find it one day. That adventure still makes me laugh to this day and I will always smile when thinking about how Granny wants to wear PJs when she passes.
3. Never be afraid to speak your mind. Now...for those of you that know me and my mom, you know that we don't hold our tongue. We get it honest from her. And I'm really thankful for that. I mean yeah, she's said things before like "Woah, Rebecca, you are getting fat, what's going on?". But I'm so thankful for her honesty and the fact that she doesn't hold back. Sometimes, I shake my head and laugh, but she's earned the right to say what she wants to. She also DOES NOT EVER want to go to a nursing home.
4. Always be generous. If it's one thing about Granny, she was always either giving away money, buying people things they needed, even if it was a thrift store find or an expensive gift. She was her church treasurer up until recently, and she always accounted for every penny. She also knew when the congregation could afford to give a gift.
5. Don't cheap out on shoes. Miss Snazzy 94 has a closet full of really NICE designer shoes that put my closet to shame.
6. Always get final "man approval" from Granny. When Jarrett and I first started dating, he came home with me one weekend to visit her for Mother's Day. We all went to church. He tried to put money in the offering plate...she politely (and loudly) told him to put it back, that the church already had enough money. She called him Jason all day long :) But after I went back home, I called her up, thanked her for her hospitality and I got this "I like that Jason. You better marry him. And don't wait too long, you're 30 now".
And finally...
7. It's ok to have a bad day and live to tell about it. This woman has been through so much in the past 15 years. We lost my grandfather when he was 80. She was a few years behind. She kept telling us that she was the next to go and was really sad when he wasn't with us anymore. But then she kept on living and has managed to persevere. She's fallen, she's broken some an ankle and a shoulder bone and still managed to not quit. She did have her weak moments. I was there for a few of them. The best part was, I got to see her cry and get mad, but at the end of the day, she was still with us and eventually came out on top of the situation.
Night y'all!
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