A generation gone...

So.. My grandmother died yesterday. My GaGa. It is sooo hard to imagine my life, the life of my family and, heck the world without her. She was an amazing woman, of a generation which no longer exists.

She got married at 16 to a man much her senior. A man who... GASP... was divorced and had a child. This was just NOT DONE back then. Can you imagine what GUTS that took...a young girl telling her mom that she in fact was going to marry this man.

She blessed her husband with 3 girls. Girls she would raise to be STRONG, Southern ladies.

She took care of the house and raised the kids so that her husband could go out and earn a living to provide for them.

And when in her 30s, her 55 year old mother in law came to live with her family, she welcomed that MIL! Can you imagine??? Your MIL living with you while you are raising a family???

She was blessed with 12 grandchildren, and 25 + great grands.

She did what was "RIGHT" because it was "RIGHT". Not because, it would get her anything. She took care of her husband, her kids, and her family because that is what you do. NO MATTER WHAT!

I thank my GaGa for teaching me the value of family. The value of taking care of your own. The value of focusing on what matters the most.

I will miss you, GaGa. I thank God for the honor to know and LOVE you! Rest in Peace and know you made a difference!

facebook at 40

As I sit here on facebook, it occurs to me that what FB is to me at 40 is totally different than what it is to my MUCH younger counterparts.

I will never forget when my sister in law said "are you on facebook?".

"WHAT?"

I took a few months but curiosity got the best of me and WHAM... facebook ! "Crack" book as I called it. I could not get enough. I LOVED catching up with old friends, finding family and yes, finding out how everyone looked now. It was GREAT! I even got the "I should have married you" email which was quite flattering. My husband got the " My husband won't let me "friend" old boyfriends" email. You have to LOVE this stuff! It was so GREAT to get on every day and find out what everybody was doing and I have to admit, it was AMUSING at times to see current pictures of old friends. You can't make STUFF like this up!!!

But as time has gone on... I have realized that FB is not REAL LIFE. You only see what people want you to see. And for most people life is a BIG GAME and the need to put on a HUGE FACADE invades everything.

Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy FB. And I especially LOVE sharing the amusing things that life throws my way. I do however, keep it in perspective. And I hope EVERYONE does.

FaceBook at 40 is different! Life has taught me lessons...