"THE 80TH BIRTHDAY"

Hi folks, this is Two Texas PawPaw. Last night, Nanny and I had a great dinner with my grand daughter and her husband Greg and my best friend, Josh, in their new home. Had a great visit and the food was outstanding. It seems that everytime we go and visit any of the family, its a great event, which brings me to my next poem to pass on to you, About 5 years ago, a wonderful woman turned 80, my mother-in-law. There is no way to describe her other than to say she is the perfect mother-in-law. By that I mean she has been a rock to everybody in the family. She is still living in Slaton Texas and about to turn 86 and going strong. In 1999 the family honored her with a birthday party at her church in Slaton and I think everyone was there. This is the poem I wrote for her at that time. It goes like this-----SHE GOES THROUGH LIFE SHARING LAUGHTER AND TEARS---SHE ROCKED SIX CRADLES IN THE EARLY YEARS---SHE DID HER BEST TO KEEP HER CHILDREN FROM HARM---AND SHE RAISED ALL SIX ON A COTTON FARM---SHE NURSED THEM ALL THROUGH BRUISES AND BUMPS---FIGHTS AND FLU AND MEASLES AND MUMPS---IT WAS ALWAYS THEIR SAFETY SHE WAS THINKING OF---AS SHE WORKED ALONGSIDE BUMPY, THE MAN THAT SHE LOVED---THEY RAISED THEIR CROPS AND HAULED IT TO THE GIN---GETTING JUST ENOUGH MONEY TO START OVER AGAIN---AND WHEN CHRISTMAS CAME AND THE CHILDREN NEEDED A LIFT---SHE MADE SURE EACH ONE GOT A SMALL GIFT---AND WHEN ALL THE GIFTS HAD BEEN HANDED OUT---AS LONG AS THEY GOT THEIR'S, SHE COULD DO WITHOUT---AND WHEN THEY GREW UP AND BEGIN TO LEAVE HOME---SHE KNEW SHE'D NEVER WORRY ABOUT BEING ALONE---EACH OF HER CHILDREN HAD FAMILIES OF THEIR OWN---BUT EACH OF HER CHILDREN LOVED TO COME BACK HOME---AND GRANDKIDS ALL OVER LIKE TO GO TO THEIR GRANNY'S---AND THERE WAS NOTHING LIKE A WEEKEND AT NANNYS---AND LATER VACATIONS WITH HER DAUGHTERS EACH YEAR---WAS ALWAYS FULL OF TENDER LOVE AND CARE---AND NOW SHE'S TURNED 80, BUT SHE'S STILL THE SAME---WE JUST VOTED HER TO THE "MOTHERS HALL OF FAME"---AND WHEN SHE'S NEEDED, SHE NEVER FAILS---THE "MOTHER OF THE CENTURY" IS EUNICE SALES---SO HAVE A HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AND BE AS YOUNG AS YOU FEEL---BECAUSE WE, YOUR CHILDREN ALL LOVE YOU, AND, WE ALWAYS WILL!-----My goal right now is to write her another poem when she turns 90. The way she is rolling along, she'll probably out live us all. This is Two Texas PawPaw signing off, and, the good Lord willing and the creeks dont rise, I'll be back tomorrow.