October 9

Today I'm grateful for my maternal grandmother, Meredith. From early on, she encouraged me to express myself creatively in all sorts of mediums. She taught me how to embroider sent me tons of patterns and books when I picked up cross-stitching. She gave me the best recipe for non-baking clay (one of the ingredients was white bread -- which, according to Gram, was the only use for that type of bread as it certainly wasn't fit to eat!) and taught me the secrets to painting miniature fruits and vegetables for my dollhouse. I made her a tiny white mouse out of that clay one year and she kept under a tiny glass bell jar on display for years.

The earliest photo of Gram that I could find was this one. She was pregnant with my Mom, and I believe she was about 22 years old. That air of elegance she exudes in this photo is still a part of her. Happy Birthday, Gramma! I love you and we send our best wishes for this wonderful day.