Today is my aunt's birthday.  She is 96.  Seems like that deserves a blogging (is that a word?)

Most people know her as a pastor's wife and a mother to two, one with special needs, so many have celebrated her through her family.

This birthday blog shares thoughts of HER.

I thought of her when I watched the first episode of Downton Abbey;  she was born the year they were depicting....1917.  Imagine what she lived through...ALWAYS living into and even ahead of her times theologically and politically and socially.  She was faith-full.

I thought of her last night as on my popcorn, I put butter-but-not-really butter-spray with 0 carbs, 0 fat, 0 sodium, 0 protein, (journalistic integrity is important to me so I just went down to read the label and that is exactly what it said).  She always put REAL butter and TONS of it on her popcorn.  At my house, we NEVER had real butter except for company but EVERYBODY got real butter at her house.  She was rich.

I thought of her BIG TIME yesterday as I wrapped gifts and watched 'Sound of Music Live' with Carrie Underwood (agreed Carrie will not win acting kudos) BUT the songs remain and I sang them ALL (much to my husbands chagrin).  Well, my aunt can sing ANY song written from the time of her birth through the 1950's and will be HAPPY to do so should you ask...or even if you don't ask.  She was music.

(She cannot, however, tell you what you said 10 minutes earlier.)

I thought of her as I wrestled with my hair this morning. She has NO gray and has NEVER dyed it.  She has natural curl and has NEVER permed it. When I go to see her next week, she will ask about my perm and say, "You sure do have lots of gray hair. Where did that all come from?"  She is funny...sort of.

I thought of her when they talked about Mandela and how he changed the world in the many years he had on this planet and how she has had more years than he did.  She may not have changed the world like he did but she did change the corner of the world I shared with her and, for that, I am grateful.

I am pretty sure she is going to live forever but, nonetheless, Happy Birthday today, Aunt Bruce.

PS
She talks of joining her many many loved ones soon in Heaven.  She told me how she misses her often crotchety mostly lovable but always loved husband, my Uncle Merle.  She dreamed she died and went to Heaven and was so excited to see him.  She looked EVERYWHERE but couldn't find him.

 Her words,  "I'm a little worried."

 Like I said, she IS funny.