April Showers Bring May Flowers

This spring, the flowers in Chicago, and everywhere it seems, have been especially beautiful. I’m not sure if they are actually more abundant or more colorful than previous years, or if I am just allowing myself to take them in from a different perspective. Regardless, I’ve really been loving them. (Keep up the good work with your gardening Chitown!)

These beautiful blooms take on an even stronger meaning for me after this past weekend, representing life and growth. You see, today my Grandma turns 100!!! You read that right, 100 years young. This past weekend we celebrated with a big party and family gatherings. It’s the first time she has had all of her grandchildren together in one room in probably 20 years. Besides the mere fact that my Grandma has reached such a milestone in life, that most don’t get to see, it was amazing to me to look around the room at my large family and see all of the life that she has given. Without her (and my Grandpa of course) none of us would be here. I can only imagine that it meant even more from her viewpoint. Seeing all of your children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and even great great grandchildren in one room and knowing you had a huge part in bringing these lives into the world, and shaping the people they are today…that has to be quite an astounding feeling. She has made it clear that she is proud of all of us and happy that we will carry on her legacy, tradition, and hopefully those great genetics. 😉

My cousin made a great point, when saying we HAD to have a cake with 100 candles, because how often do you get to see 100 candles on a birthday cake. I know I never have in my 30 years on this earth. And for a woman who still lives on her own, cooks all her meals, bakes amazing sweets, and likes a good dirty martini (I know I definitely got one thing from her!), how could you not celebrate that growth and that amazing life. All I can say is that she is exactly where I hope to be in 70 years. And in the meantime, as life is well, life, I will take a moment to enjoy the beautiful flowers around me and remember that spring is a time to look at life and all that we have been blessed with. Even on a crummy day, a beautiful flower is bound to cheer you up!