Grandma's 90th

Janell and Grandma's good friend Debbie had this idea that we should have a party for Grandma's 90th birthday (as in a "big" party at the church and with lots of people). This blogger frankly had some serious reservations. It seemed that life on its own had given us enough to worry about without voluntarily creating new ones and there was the potential for way too much "drama". (In Grandma's condition and varing state of mind and good humor or ill temper it was not at all certain how she would respond to the event and her loving friends who may come.)

We had the party. It was great. Lots and lots of Grandma's dear friends from many, many years  came to wish her well (plus lots of cards from those who could not attend). As for Grandma? She was a little grumpy about going. She couldn't quite figure out what it was and why we needed to go, but we made her go anyway. At the party? Well Grandma turned out to be the ultimate party girl. Many who came were dear friends she has known for 50 years or more, but Grandma suffers from dementia. The sad fact is she probably didn't recognize a single one. I base that on the fact that this blogger is her only son and recently she usually can't figure out who I am. Nonetheless, she sat on a couch (one we had pulled from the church foyer into the cultural hall) and like royalty happily greeted all who came, shook their hands, returned their hugs and held and kissed their babies (Grandma, the perfect politician).

That said and although the cells in Grandma's brain sometimes just can't connect up the memories to make sense of who people are, looking closely again at the pictures and her response, I tend to think that in a more fundamental way she still knows who these people are and why they came. Janell asked one of her young women friends to take some pictures and here's a sampling (there are many more).

We also made four photo collages that we had printed at Staples as black and white engineering prints - a lot cheaper than photo quality oversize prints, but worked just fine for this event- and hung on the wall for folks to look at and learn a bit about Grandma's life. However, the computer files for the collages are large and I had trouble uploading them to the blog. We really couldn't find any pictures of Grandma directing a choir. This is truly unfortunate. Those who know Grandma best remember her for her music and choirs, including directing the choir at the original dedication of the Boise Idaho temple. Growning up I can't remember a time when Grandma was not directing some sort of choir or conducting music at church.