So I've been thinking…

So, last week was Ginny’s birthday.  Her sweet daughter Shana put together a very special celebration – wish I could’ve been there.  Here’s my contribution:

You have to understand just a little speech and language background to really enjoy my favorite funny memory of Ginny.

Consonant clusters like “pr” or “shr” are difficult for toddlers to pronounce.  They will often substitute clusters with easier single consonants like “w” or “f”.  EmmaKaite was famous for doing this and we had lots of fun demonstrating her “trick”.

In the late spring of 2003, we stopped by to visit your mom.  She had obviously just been through a round of chemo.  She was weak and her pale face faded into the shades of pink on the scarf covering her head.  However, we weren’t surprised to find her still smiling and infectiously positive.
 
I poked Daniel with my elbow and asked him if EmmaKaite should do her trick.  After a moment’s deliberation on the appropriateness of the demonstration we plunged forward.  
 
I told EmmaKaite to look at Ginny and say “Oh Shrek!”  

Promptly and proudly, EmmaKaite turned to Ginny and blurted out “OH F***!”

Nervous chuckles broke into real laughter as we watched Ginny’s reaction.  She laughed with such force and depth, tears filled her eyes and brightened them so that they looked like gigantic blue jewels.  Big, fat drops of pure joy spilled down her face.  We laughed the kind of laugh that etches the moment in your mind forever.

When I close my eyes, I see the two of them at the dining room table squeezing each other.  I’ll never forget the loud, angelic “Oh F***!” from a little girl with dimples and curly hair, packaged in a pink top.  And the loud, angelic belly laugh from a woman with dimples and no hair wrapped in a pink scarf.

Looking back, I see the irony of an insidious, destructive disease trying to ravage our upbeat, happy Ginny.  Cancer could not destroy her spirit. 

“Cancer is so limited.  It cannot cripple love.  It cannot corrode faith.  It cannot shatter hope.  It it cannot eat away peace.  It cannot destroy confidence.  It cannot kill friendship.  It cannot shut out memories.  It cannot silence courage.  It cannot invade the soul.  It cannot reduce eternal life.  It cannot quench the spirit.” 
 
Cancer is so limited.  It cannot not take this memory from me.  And now, it cannot take it from you.

Happy Birthday, Ginny. 

I think we’ll pop some popcorn, put on Shrek and work up a good belly laugh for your birthday.