It’s my Grandma Rose’s birthday today, March 1st, so if you see her out and about with the big guy wish her well on her day. The best way for Webster’s Dictionary to define the name “Grandma” would be to place a picture of Grandma Rose next to it. For those that question the definition they could also include directions to the farm and all of her grandchildren’s phone numbers.

She has quietly spoiled us all throughout the years with her kind heart and genuine interest in all that we do. She always makes us feel important, makes us feel loved, and makes us something to eat. Whenever you’re milling around the kitchen at the farm browsing for something to eat Grandma will simply ask, “What do you wish for?”

Do you know what? She means it. I don’t know how many ‘kitchen wishes’ I’ve been given in my lifetime at the farm, but they were all granted. The only way you could possibly go hungry at the farm is if Grandma’s not home and Grandpa’s been left in charge. You would just have to survive with Grandpa on what’s left of the fudge until Grandma got home.

Aside from curing hunger pains, Grandma has also proven her abilities in being able to heal the sick with just her presence. At least if the sick person was me when I was a child. My mom would call out to the farm to report that I was sick, just barely hanging on to life. Fever, stomach ache, head ache, bunions, you name it. Grandma would come to town to check on my condition.

Miraculously as soon as she walked through the door all my ailments would disappear. This miracle didn’t just happen once, no it happened as many times as I could get away with it. You know your loved when your grandchild can bring a fever on at will just to see you.

Feed the hungry, cure the sick; is there anything this red hatter can’t do?

The only time she has ever almost said something negative to me was when my wife was pregnant with Sierra and Grandma asked what names we had picked out. I told her that if it was girl we would name her Sierra and if the baby were a boy we would name him Xavier. Grandma just smiled and said, “Well I hope it’s a girl.” Maybe that’s where I get my tact from.

I still enjoy going to the farm whenever I’m home, and since I’m old enough to drive I don’t have to conjure up a fever to see my Grandma. We share a love of family history and we’ll spend hours looking through suit cases full of old pictures. I hold up pictures and ask questions, she recalls names, places, and events as if they could have happened yesterday.

Some day I imagine I’ll do the same with my grandchildren. When they hold up a picture of my Grandma Rose I’ll most likely develop a fever, a stomach ache, and a smile as I tell them about what a special women she is.

Happy Birthday Grandma. “What do you wish for?”