It's like erin with a p: happy birthday, mama jean!

The past few summers, including this one, I have been able to cut my grandma's grass. For some reason when I tell people I mow the grass they just laugh. They think me in all my preppiness can't handle a lawn mower. Well believe it or not, not only do I do it, I actually enjoy doing it. AND I can tell you all the ins and outs of a mower and where the spark plug and all other parts are. I know, weird. Right?

Every Thursday morning I would head over to Norfolk and find my grandma sitting on her screened in porch expecting me.  She would have the mower out, gas already in it, and oil filled to the perfect amount. All I would have to do was start it. After I was done mowing, I would blow the driveway while she got my cranberry juice and BLT ready.  We had a system. A good system.

We would sit on the porch and talk about life. The best times were when she would tell me about growing up. I love hearing my grandparents tell stories of what it was like when they went to school, or when they were in the war, or when they had to work the farm. It fascinates me.

Today is Mama Jean's birthday! Wahoo! We are celebrating with steak and cake tonight at our house. My grandma is one of the most selfless people I know.  Anytime we have a family gathering she is always the one to prepare the meals, clean the meals up, put fresh sheets on the beds, make sure we have clean towels, etc.  One day this summer we got into a discussion about our quiet times. We had never really had a conversation about our faith before. I mean, she knew I loved Jesus and I knew she did, but it had just never come up in conversation before. She showed me where she had her quiet times, what she did when she has them, and what she had been learning lately. She said everyday she reads a chapter of the Bible and writes down what she learns. She said she been doing this for at least the last 50 years and had been through the Bible multiple times.  Then, she told me every morning when she reads it she is always surprised by how the Word never gets boring and how it teaches her something new each and every time. I loved being exposed to this part of my grandma's life. How had we not gone this many years without talking about our faith?! I don't know, but I'm so glad the Lord allowed us to share about it then. My prayer is that I will be at least half the person is my grandma is, following the Lord with her whole heart and serving everyone around her before even thinking about herself. Happy Birthday Mama Jean! I love you!!