Happy Birthday, Grandma Mary!

Today my sweet stepmother turned 83. I'm so sorry that I had to miss being with some of the "Zimwits" this evening when they took her out to eat at the Shady Maple Smorgasbord. I know they had so much fun. This picture of her and me was taken last winter. I wish I could have put my arm around her today.

We love to reminisce about the time we met each other for the first time. She and my dad had been dating just a few weeks when Dick's parents invited them and us to come to their place for a hot dog roast. During the evening we also gathered in the basement to watch my dad's slides of his recent trip to Israel. Jeremy was a very affectionate three-year-old and wanted to sit next to her. Just after the lights were turned off and the slides had begun, Jeremy looked up at Mary and whispered, "Are you our new grandma?" Both Mary and I pretended we didn't hear what he said, but in the years since then we each admitted we had indeed heard him. And we laugh about it every time we remember it!

Only the oldest grandchildren in my family remember my mother. Many of them were not born yet when she died. So Mary has been the only Grandma Witmer they have known. And they all love her so much. She's on Facebook to keep up with her children and grandchildren. Her home page was filled up with "Happy Birthday, Grandma" messages today. Technology is wonderful, and even 83-year-old grandmas can make use of it!