Roses while you’re here

Dear Grandma Scott,

My beautiful grandma, the most sweet, loyal, and loving woman I know. Sometimes I feel I’m not worthy of your presence but so thankful you are still here to be the rock for our family in these trying times. Your 75th birthday is right around the corner on April 6 and I can not wait to see you on Resurrection Sunday and bring your cake. I know your prayers and sacrifices helped mold me into the woman I am today and I thank you. We are so much alike but from lessons, I learned from you we are different as well. I remember so far back, it blows my mind sometimes. I remember you braiding my hair at four years old. I remember when you use to help mom no matter what or where we were. Every time mom moved us to another city and she started falling behind in her bills or needed to move- you came and got us. Every weekend I couldn’t wait to go to my grandma's house and go to church when I was little. Every Christmas was special and magical and you made the season. You were even the most patient with me through my crazy teenage hormone years. I will always appreciate you for that.

I learned most of the life lessons I needed to learn while with you, even though you are the most quiet and soft spoken and humble woman I know. Your laugh and smile light up a room, just a complete joy to be around. You faced many battles throughout your life and conquered them all with your head held high. Watching you wake up to go to work on midnights for many years and sleep a few hours just to get back up and take care of your kids and grandkids wasn’t truly appreciated until I was an adult. Then watching you switch to dayshift and wake up at 4 am every day and go to work and sometimes even on Saturdays. I’m so glad you are retired now. You sold Avon and kept your kids in activities and took my sister and I to dance and music practice at church. I’m in awe of all you did and with such grace and poise. You still amaze us all every day because your faith in God is unwavering and we know where we fail you hold us up with your prayers from love.

The strength is takes a black woman to conquer her fears and keep striving for better through all the pain and disappointments, through all the lies and betrayal of friends and close family, through all the storms of life is a characteristic that is too many times overlooked. It takes a relentless, long-suffering soul to conquer the devil and keep moving mountains for the people you love. Regardless of whatever was going on you were the peace and stability our family needs when we are weak. We love you so much! I love you so much!

When Aunt D passed away from Covid, you were stronger than most of us. I was heartbroken and then numb but called on the phone and you just were so sure she is in a better place and didn’t have a stitch of pain in your voice but I know you would miss her the most. That helped me so much knowing you were okay. Life had a funny way of taking us all in different directions but every last one of us knows grandma is still praying. I want to give you your Roses while you still here and say thank you for being a phenomenal woman and showing me better even when I didn’t know better myself. You were always the example and you will always be the goal. We love you and appreciate everything you do grandma! Happy Birthday!