And another birthday has come . . .

We do birthdays in seasons at our house, and this is the January/ February birthday stretch.

Today is my mother in law's birthday, and right now - neither one of us can remember just how old she is. 78 or 79 I am sure, but for the life of me I can't remember without looking it up. I think she loves that I don't know for sure either.

I do know that as I look around this house, I see so much of her everywhere in it.

That painting (the one that is cut off) on the upper left hand portion of the picture is one she did. It may be my favorite piece of hers.

Saribenne's eyes, her creations, the way she thinks, her art, her ability to see beauty in ALL things has rubbed off on all of us. For all the struggles and hardships that happen in the process of loving through Alzheimer's, THIS, having HER here, has been an amazing gift for which I will always be grateful. I have been forever profoundly changed by her and by loving her.

She told a friend of mine once that the universe was better off because she was in it, and the same can absolutely be said for Saribenne. The universe is indeed better off with her as a part of it.