Saturday, April 4, 2009

Marigold

Today is Marigold's birthday. My daughter doesn't like me posting pictures of the Munchkins or talking about them on my blog, and I respect that -- this is the Internet. But without being too specific, I wanted to do a little post about Marigold, so if my daughter reads this, I hope she doesn't mind.

Marigold is a character. If I were to choose one word to describe her, it would be "spritely". She reminds me of a sprite. She loves to climb the tree in her back yard and sit up there, and she loves to create little pieces of art out of "found things" in the garden. She has definitely inherited the art gene, but she is also very athletic. She has a little interior motor that keeps her moving all the time. She never walks along the sidewalk, she skips or dances.

For the first few years of her life, Marigold rushed to keep up with her brother, who can tend to "take over the room" at times. I think Marigold felt she was in his shadow, but not anymore. She has found her own stride. She's very bright with a sense of humor more subtle than her brother's, but razor sharp.

Marigold has been blessed with beautiful hands and long slender fingers, like her mother and her great-grandmother. (It skipped my generation...) I have a plaster cast of her hand on my desk, and I often look at her hands and think what wonderful things they are going to do throughout her lifetime.

I remember once, a few years ago, Marigold stayed with me overnight. It was just the two of us, and when I was walking her back home the next morning, she said to me as she was skipping along the sidewalk, "Oma, I love you, and even when you're up in Heaven, I will still love you." Omigosh. That was the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. And believe me, when I'm up in Heaven, I will still love Marigold too. But let's wait a while for that yet...

Happy Birthday, Marigold!

33 comments:

Stephen Leach said...

Just like my sister, who really reminds me of me. Haha. That's such a sweet post. Sometimes we don't know how lucky we are to have such great realitives. xxx

SparkleFarkel said...

What a lovely tribute! Marigold: so sweet, she could easily be a chocolate bunny's understudy! Happy Birthday, dear Marigold!

Anonymous said...

That's adorable. And yes, let's wait a while before Oma gets on the heaven gig

Scoobyloves2004 said...

How very sweet she sounds! I do hope she has a chance to see her Grandma today! There is nothing wrong with talking about your family on your blog. In fact, it's healthy! If I didn't talk about my children and my wonderful hasband, there would be no point to my blog at all!! Happy Birthday Marigold!!!

Avril Fleur said...

Oma! That's a Dutch term, which I know well, being of Dutch/Belgian heritage! I love the sound of Oma and Opa, even though we didn't use it as kids, I am still very familiar with the terms. It brings back good memories!

Patsy said...

A lovely birthday tribute, Jo... and I beg to differ about your hands and fingers. You have beautiful hands; I remember that from an earlier picture.

I love those pix of Marigold and Phinnaeus.

Lorna

Cyth said...

I can on the one hand understand your daughter's reluctance to having you talk about your grandkids in your blog. It's so terrible that a world has come to this. But children do need to be protected, even if it is crazy behavior to do it. And I TRULY understand your itch to write about the wee little ones who wrap themselves around your heart. I take care of my two kinderlings 2 days a week. And if I could not talk about the cute thing he said , or the annoying thing she did, I would have to write a book. But in my blog I try disguise "to protect the innocent". Sad, sad. Blessings to both you and your birthday girl.

Andrea said...

Happy birthday Marigold!

KathyB. said...

Happy Birthday to you Marigold, and happy Marigold's birthday to you Jo! What a lovingly written tribute to her . Any granddaughter would love such a tribute and to know you have shared it with the "world', wow!

Marigold sounds like fun!

david mcmahon said...

I can see the whole family chuckling over this wonderful story at her 21st birthday, Jo!!

Inday said...

Very heartwarming words of a very loving mother about her daughter. I'm sure won't mind you writing about her in a Merry Golden way. Sweet tribute, heartfelt, tender, and full of love.

movingonlady said...

Grandchildren you just gotta love them. I have 5 and in June I will have my 6th. for boy's and two girls. I spend alot of time with them and they are so special to me. What a nice post.

VioletSky said...

What a nice tribute.
It's great the way kids can be so matter of fact about the stages of life - let's hope yours goes on for a good while longer.

Leslie: said...

Ah, what a sweet post for Marigold! Did she hit the double digits this year? Having met her, I know just what you mean about her being "spritely."

Nancy said...

What a sweet tribute. It reminds me of the time my grandmother was going on and on about how beautiful my mother's hands were - that she had been asked to do hand commercials. Then I shoved mine at her and asked - "like mine?" She took one look and said "no, not like yours." I still laugh about that! I inherited my dad's hands. Not been asked to do a hand commercial, needless to say.

Sherry said...

How beautiful!! I feel the same way about my little "marigold":)

Carol E. said...

That was just lovely, and such a sweet thing that Marigold said to you. The mutual affection is lovely to behold.

Kathy's Klothesline said...

Happy day to you and your granddaughter. One of my sweet granddaughters is 20 today! seems like just yesterday I met her for the very first time.....

A human kind of human said...

Happy Birthday Marigold! I agree, the Internet is filled with all kinds of filth with children as the subject, and all kinds of people who uses children as subjects of their own filth, THAT IS WHY it makes me happy when an Oma writes a beautiful story - filled with love and appreciation - about a grandchild. Lets carry on doing it, to show the world that the majority of us still know how to love, respect and appreciate our children.

SweetPeaSurry said...

Awww that's super duper sweet.

Susan said...

A very Happy Birthday to your little sprite! That is a delightful water colour, did you do that?
Are you going to watch the 100 Mile Challenge? It is on the food network for the next six Sundays at 5pm. One of the familys is mine! Not my house hold, but my brother in Law and his gang. Mike and Angela St.Cyr. We are having a little gathering here tomorrow to watch it!!!! Looks like fun!

Miss_Nobody said...

Sweet :) Happy birthday Marigold!

Reasons said...

What a lovely blog, I'm glad I dropped by and will be back!

Your post about Marigold is so nice, make sure you print it off and keep it for her - some advice I was given about a post I did about my daughter recently.

commoncents said...

Beautiful post!

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Carl said...

Happy Birhtday to your Marigold!

Jo in response to your comment on my blog yesterday I picked a scene of Nobska Light on Cape Cod and posted it for folks to get inspired and paint along with me this week. I'd be honored if you'd give it a try and maybe you'll be inspired along the way. Thanks for pushing me back into the studio. I needed the nudge too.
CArl

Anonymous said...

Lovely post.. ! Nice tribute

Jo said...

Thank you for your lovely comments, everyone. Grandchildren are very special, aren't they? The Munchkins are the greatest! :-)

Paula Slade said...

A-w-w-w, so precious! Happy Birthday to your little darling!

Charles Gramlich said...

A very nice tribute to your daughter.

Anonymous said...

Beautifully put!

Happy Birthday, Marigold.

Anonymous said...

Lovely! Happy Birthday to you Marigold...and may you have a good long time with Grandmother.

Sniffles and Smiles said...

Absolutely beautiful...You made me sniffle AND smile...What a wonderful anecdote, and so well-told! Congrats on your mention in POTD!

Cheffie-Mom said...

Hello, I came over from authorblog. Congrats on the Post of the Day Award. This is a beautiful post. Happy Birthday Marigold!