When I was just 9 months old, my parents moved into my childhood home. Right next door lived Jimmy and Steffie. They became fast friends with my parents and became a part of our extended family. As I grew up, I remember spending many hours with Steffie in her garden, or in her house "playing." Steffie was a bit younger than my parents and she did not have any children of her own, so my sisters and I became her "children." She has always had a way of finding joy in every situation and if anyone knows how to be happy--it is Steffie. Even when the outlook is bleak, she sees the silver lining. Steffie immigrated from Germany (she is Ukrainian) when she was just two-years old and her parents became like grandparents to us kids. Her mother, Mama A (which we have always called her) is still alive and well and has made all of my babies their Baptismal blankets and she can make the best potato salad and stuffed cabbage in the world!
Anyway, yesterday Steffie turned 60! We flew her out on Thursday and have been going nonstop since. To give you an idea of the rare personality that Steffie has, she came down for her birthday breakfast looking like this:
You should know... she does not usually look like that!
My little sister Claire also flew out for Steffie's birthday... Steffie decided to spend her birthday with two pregnant ladies and three hyper kids-I call that crazy, but she calls that FUN!
Steffie also has a special relationship with my husband... they love to fight. We went to the Pentagon to meet my husband for lunch yesterday and the two of them had an argument over what Steffie was allowed to eat! My husband refused to let her eat anything other than a fish sandwich (the Catholic police are always on patrol). Her thinking was that it was her birthday so she had a special dispensation... plus she hates fish sandwiches. The two of them proceeded to argue until the military police surrounded the area, threw in some tear gas and then cuffed them both and hauled them off to the loony bin. OK, that didn't happen, but you can see where their "arguments" can take them. I leave them be-they both enjoy the banter too much.
Years ago, after I had my oldest, my dad decided to convince our oldest to start calling Steffie (who is also our oldest's Godmother) Weezie. If you have ever seen the movie Steel Magnolia's, you may remember in the end when Olympus Dukakis's character talks to Julia's Robert's baby boy about an evil which named "Weezie" I believe in the south they would say "Weeeeeza" Anyway, she said Weezie was Shirley Maclaine's character-and in the end the baby boy slaps Shirley and runs off crying. So, my dad has called Steffie "Weezie" for 12 years now. She didn't care-it does not ruffle her feathers, and she just goes with it. A different person would get ticked, or be bitter, but Steffie embraces everything.
Well, last night we went to Carrabba's for dinner. OH MY GOODNESS! It was flippin' good! On the menu is "Pasta Weesie" It is grilled shrimp and mushrooms over Fettuccine Alfredo--to die for! Steffie, in all of her 60 year old pride ordered the "Pasta Weesie" because it was obviously named after her because of her birthday!
What a great way to look at life!
Anyway, yesterday Steffie turned 60! We flew her out on Thursday and have been going nonstop since. To give you an idea of the rare personality that Steffie has, she came down for her birthday breakfast looking like this:
You should know... she does not usually look like that! My little sister Claire also flew out for Steffie's birthday... Steffie decided to spend her birthday with two pregnant ladies and three hyper kids-I call that crazy, but she calls that FUN!
Steffie also has a special relationship with my husband... they love to fight. We went to the Pentagon to meet my husband for lunch yesterday and the two of them had an argument over what Steffie was allowed to eat! My husband refused to let her eat anything other than a fish sandwich (the Catholic police are always on patrol). Her thinking was that it was her birthday so she had a special dispensation... plus she hates fish sandwiches. The two of them proceeded to argue until the military police surrounded the area, threw in some tear gas and then cuffed them both and hauled them off to the loony bin. OK, that didn't happen, but you can see where their "arguments" can take them. I leave them be-they both enjoy the banter too much.
Years ago, after I had my oldest, my dad decided to convince our oldest to start calling Steffie (who is also our oldest's Godmother) Weezie. If you have ever seen the movie Steel Magnolia's, you may remember in the end when Olympus Dukakis's character talks to Julia's Robert's baby boy about an evil which named "Weezie" I believe in the south they would say "Weeeeeza" Anyway, she said Weezie was Shirley Maclaine's character-and in the end the baby boy slaps Shirley and runs off crying. So, my dad has called Steffie "Weezie" for 12 years now. She didn't care-it does not ruffle her feathers, and she just goes with it. A different person would get ticked, or be bitter, but Steffie embraces everything.
Well, last night we went to Carrabba's for dinner. OH MY GOODNESS! It was flippin' good! On the menu is "Pasta Weesie" It is grilled shrimp and mushrooms over Fettuccine Alfredo--to die for! Steffie, in all of her 60 year old pride ordered the "Pasta Weesie" because it was obviously named after her because of her birthday!
What a great way to look at life!
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