My Great Grandma Alma passed away last night at the age of 92, which I think is pretty amazing. Of course, that's Grandma for you- she had an amazing life!

 She was born in January of 1919 during the influenza epidemic. Right after her birth, she stopped breathing. Her mother's midwife ran outside and filled a bowl full of snow. She filled another bowl with warm water and dipped the baby from the freezing snow to warm water over and over until she suddenly started breathing again. Grandma said with her smart little smirk "So that's why I always did run and little hot and cold!"

She told wonderful stories of growing up during the Great Depression, being a one room school house teacher and living in Hawaii after the war. She was a wonderful writer and often boasted
" I was even published in a few little literary magazines!"
I'll have to get a hold of some of her stories and share them with you here! She was an accomplished quilter and dedicated many of her years researching our family's history and genealogy. She was a 50's housewife and looked exactly like Bette Davis when she was young. I think she hated that people said that, but I swear to you, it's true! She helped teach me how to crochet and sew and through the impact of the Great Depression, she helped to teach me how to make a silk purse from a sow's ear. She saw so many incredible things in her lifetime.
5 Generations with Great Grandma Alma, Olivia and I, my momma, my grandma and sister


On Saturday, the whole family came in from out of town to visit her in the hospital. We had a little party in the ICU room. We laughed a lot and made inappropriate jokes, which made grandma smile. She got kisses from Olivia and got to tickle Rhys's feet, which she loved. I can't imagine living long enough to see two of my great great grandchildren- but she did! She wanted to be cremated and buried in Springfield, MO so that's the plan. We're going to pack up the family and caravan to Springfield, singing along with the radio the whole way in celebration of her amazing life.

When everything settles down a bit, I'll see about getting some copies of her stories and pictures of her when she was young so I can share them with you. I think everything is packed away at my grandma's country house so it may take a while but it's worth it.  I think you'll get a kick out of them!