To me she was Grandma or Grandma “Geppy” because Gillespie was too hard to say, everyone called her Betty, but her given name was Elizabeth Rose Hevezi and she was one of my most favorite people in the whole world.

Today would have been her 91st Birthday.

I only had 9 short years with my Grandma physically, but she has been with me my whole life, and there really hasn’t been a day that has gone by that I haven’t thought about her.

I love Birthdays, and so did she, so today I’m going to celebrate with all of my most favorite memories of her.

•     Her smile, she was beautiful. Even as a Grandma, I always remember thinking she was the most beautiful woman in the world. She was stunning.
•  The way she smelled. NOTHING can duplicate it. Trust me, I have tried every brand of laundry detergent, and perfume I can think of but she had her own smell that I can still remember.
•    Her love of musicals. Oh my gosh! We used to watch Seven Brides for Seven Brothers on repeat ( I don’t have time for that now-wish I did) but she introduced me to all the great ones, Hello Dolly!, Annie, South Pacific, the list goes on!
•  Arts and Crafts! – She was always crafty, she made me Barbie clothes, and my most favorite blanket (my silky)- that I still have. And she would always have some activity for me weather it was paper machete, or play-doh or paper dolls, or just drawing. I can remember sitting at her big glass table for hours and hours just being creative. – She is the reason I went to art school.
• She built my imagination.
• Her songs. She would always sing to me. I would sit on her lap in her big blue rocking chair and she would sing.- My favorite was “You are my sunshine”. I sing that song to my kids every night before they go to bed. EVERY NIGHT!
• How fancy she was. Everything was sparkly and beautiful.
• Flowers. She loved flowers and had them everywhere. Roses remind me of her the most, and the smell of gardenias.
• Cake!! She would take me to Corey Brothers bakery in Hobart and order me a Walnut Chiffon with buttercream frosting. Oh how I wish I could replicate that cake!!!
• She made me feel like I was destined for greatness…. she made me feel that I was the prettiest girl in the world, that I could do anything, and gave me my ability to dream. A lot of my confidence started with her and the constant reminder that I was beautiful.

To my beautiful Grandma, Happy Birthday. I miss you every single day. ❤️