Happy Birthday Mimi

Today is my Mimi's birthday.  If my Mimi were still alive she would have turned 90 years old today.  Unfortunately, this is not a birthday that we are able to celebrate with her here on earth....so we celebrate it in our thoughts, prayers, and memories.

Here is a picture of my beautiful mother and stunning Mimi on my parents' wedding day!

My Mimi...Kathryn Ann (Bisenius) Beimford was born on February 20, 1921. Mimi was my mom's mom.  Reese now calls my mom "Mimi" which is pretty bittersweet.

There is a funny story about my Mimi's birthday.  Apparently, she had always celebrated it and known it to be on February 20th.  When she turned 65 and went to the social security office she found out that she was actually born at 12:02 am on February 21st.  In true Mimi fashion, she decided that was nonsense and that her birthday (after 65 years) was still on February 20th.  So here we are celebrating it today!

My Mimi was taken from us on October 1, 1994.  It was a VERY sad day!  For those of you who know me, you know that I love the first of every month...saying "Happy New Month" is a tradition of mine...I remember clearly thinking what a "Crappy New Month" that day was.

Mimi was one of the most amazing people that I have ever known.  I hold dear several vivid memories about my Mimi.  She always had olives at her house and I LOVED going there to eat them...when I was little I didn't realize these olives were for her martinis, now I understand and appreciate the olives even more!  Mimi made the BEST nachos in the world.  Literally, I have still never had nachos that are any better.  Mimi had a ten key adding machine with the roll of paper.  I loved playing with that machine and listening to the click-click.  She also had a huge yellow desk with a type writer.  I took great pride in helping Mimi type recipes on index cards and she was happy to put me to work!  I loved family get togethers at Mimi's!  She was an amazing hostess and entertainer.  For family holidays, she not only included "her" family, but also my dad's family.  Now that I'm "grown up" and married, I fully understand how difficult it is for families to get together on the holidays and having to split time between the "sides"...it makes me appreciate Mimi even more for always including my dad's side of the family when it was "her" time.  And the Charlie Brown Christmas music "screams" Mimi...it makes the entire family cry every year.

There is a pretty amazing story from the day my Mimi passed away.  My Aunt Sherry shared a story with my mom and I that rocked me to my core.  Aunt Sherry is married to my dad's brother, so she was not related to Mimi.  She did however know Mimi very well and had celebrated many, many family holidays with her.  While Mimi was in the hospital dad's entire family gathered to be with mom and her family.  Aunt Sherry, as with all of us, was having a very hard time with the situation we were being faced with.  She kept kind of to herself and sat looking out the window most of the morning.  It was a deary, rainy day in Denver on October 1, 1994.  After watching the gray skies for hours, Aunt Sherry watched as for just a brief second the clouds opened and there was a single ray of sunlight.  This happened moments before my mom and her two brothers came to tell us that Mimi had just gone to heaven.  That single ray of light was my Mimi going to be with her Lord and Savior.

This evening Kevin, Reese, and I went to meet my mom for dinner.  When my mom got to the restaurant she asked me if Reese could go out to the parking lot with her for a minute.  Of course I said yes and asked if everything was okay.  I was not prepared for her answer.
Mom:  Yes, I want her to go with me to send Mimi's birthday balloon to heaven.
(This is something that my mom has done every year on Mimi's birthday....I was not aware of this tradition.)
I watched from the window as my mom carried my daughter to her car.  They got out a single, yellow balloon and held it together.  They then wished Mimi a happy birthday and sent her balloon to heaven.  It was the most powerful moment.  I feel honored that Reese's Mimi chose to share it with her.  I know that I will never forget it!

Reese's middle name is Kathryn, in honor of this amazing woman!

Mimi we love you and miss you dearly!

P.S. Your daughter is doing a wonderful job of following in your "Mimi" shoes!