What a Woman!

My Nana Nell, was born 85 years ago, in southern Arkansas to a family of farmers, she had 12 brothers and sisters, and she was the baby. She spent the falls picking cotton, and while her sisters covered themselves head to toe, to keep from tanning, my grandmother basked in the sun, a bronze little girl all knees and elbows with a white cotton crown on top. She grew up, married and had a son, her first husband died in WWII. In order to make ends meet she became a hairdresser. A few years later after the war had ended, she met my Paw. I love his recollection of the story he once told me " I saw Nell and the boy, and I liked them." They married shortly thereafter, and had two more children my dad, and my aunt.

My Nana has always marched to her own drummer. She's the woman at church that sings the harmony in a thick loud southern accent, while all the others stick to the melody. She has no rules and no apologies. Still she is the first person that will greet you in church. The first person to bring you a meal if you are sick. The woman at the nursing home giving perms to women that barely have hair. She loves to line dance, and has two boyfriends that know nothing about each other. The other day, while teaching water aerobics, my Nana had a massive stroke. Things are not looking great, but I believe in miracles, and I also believe in mercy. I just wanted you to know about this amazing woman. That her life is so fun and so beautiful. Even today, lying in her hospital bed, my family juggled her two boyfriends trying to insure that one did not find out about the other. As I am sitting here so unsettled about her future I hear her loud thick southern voice crooning

"Softly and Tenderly Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me. See by the portal He's waiting and watching, watching for you and for me. Come home, come home all who are weary come home."

I love you Nana, you are such an example of living a full and meaningful life. Whatever the future may bring.