January 13, 1916

Ninety-four years ago a very wise woman was born on this day,

my Grandmother, Durma Pearl Elliott.

I am partial as she is mine, but I am telling you, she is special.

On a day such is this...what do we give to a woman who is 94? What can we give her that she hasn't already given to all of us? She loves you like you are the only one in the family, but turns around and duplicates this love for the next person. She continues to do this even with the great-grandkids making each one feel special. She brags about every achievement, every ball game, each journal article that her family is in. She makes us feel good even when we do something bad. She reminds us that this might feel like a big deal today, but in 100 years no one will remember. Her knowledge is either verbally shared or constantly being shown...she has taught us many things.

My Grandma is: love without boundaries, faith in God, acceptance, and grace. She demonstrates how to share and to give to others. She teaches us day to day life; working hard, but enjoying the work; how to win, but more importantly how to lose; how to save your earnings for later in life; cooking dinner and sitting down to that meal as a family; shucking peas; canning and freezing; saying what is on your mind without letting it fester; even ingenious ways of keeping your feet dry. Growing up she treated us with fun stuff like homemade cookies or a candy out of her 'Elliott refrigerator drawer'. And, if you were really, really special, she might share one of her treasured Little Debbie's.

Grammy Durma taught me how to live in a world of boys growing up. How to make them think I was like them. For instance, how to catch crayfish. Then proceeding to chase the boys with them before they could even think about doing it to me. Or, how to walk through the garden repeating "the snakes are more afraid of me than I am of them". I often wondered if she was reminding me or herself?! She always tells me that I am the bravest coward that she has ever known. Is there such a person?

I believe the one most important lesson that I have learned (still learning) from Grandma is simplicity. Less is always more. I struggle with this, but as I age, I am trying to embrace it. Reminding myself often, do I really need that? Most often, the answer is no. Truly, all I need is my family.

This evening, Grandma celebrated her 94th year by giving her family a present. Yes, you heard it, she wanted all of us to have a present on her day. Dinner with all of her family together in one room, with the bill being paid by her. We love you, Grandma!