Today would be my mother in law's, a.k.a. "Nanny Steiner", 98th birthday.
She has been celebrating in heaven since not long after her 95th birthday, but today I just felt like remembering her with a little bit of a tea party.
I am using her mother's special china tea set, which has beautiful Japanese cherries on it.
A perfect bowl for some sweet cherries.
Over the years I have written many posts about "Nanny", since she spent so much time with us during her last years here on earth. I have listed a post down below that also has links to many stories that I've written about Nanny throughout those years. There were more than just these, because she provided many opportunities for interesting stories and just plain fun and laughter and love. She was one in a million, my mother in law, and I was so blessed to have been given the opportunity to be her "daughter in love".
Many a afternoon she and I would sit and have a cup of tea and a cookie or some other treat.
She loved sitting in the kitchen with me while I cooked supper or baked cookies...
And oftentimes she even helped!
Sometimes she would sit and hold "Baby Elva" and they would entertain each other.
I have a feeling she would love our little "Lily Grace" too!
Most of all she loved being with her family. This was our last family portrait with all of her children, grandchildren and one great-grandchild together, February 2014.
So without further adieu, if you want to know more stories you can find some here on this previous post:
Thank you for spending this little tea time with me while I remember a very special woman.
Happy Birthday, Nanny! We miss you and love you!
You will never be forgotten.
Such a lovely tribute to your mother-in-love, Pam! Didn't she have the prettiest smile? I'm sure y'all were such a blessing to 'Nanny.'
ReplyDeleteSeeing your pretty dishes, now I'm itching to visit one of our area antiquities malls. I've no idea what I'm looking for -- but I'll know it when I see it!
Yes, she did have a pretty smile. That was probably the first thing I noticed about her when I met her, and that my hubby's smile is just like hers. Those dishes came to her mother from one of her son in laws who was an Admiral in the Navy. He brought them from Japan back in the 1950's. So they are very special. We usually used them at Christmas since they are red and green, but they really aren't Christmas dishes, so I can use them anytime. I was blessed to receive them.
DeleteY'all have such a lovely family. Her smile (and yours) are award winning.
ReplyDeleteI like that tea set. I want one too but can't decide what pattern(s) best suit me.
Thanks for sharing.
Blessings. xx
Thank you, Sparky. My mother in law was a character through and through, and she definitely had a wonderful smile, and the laughter to go with it. I hope you can find just the right tea set for your taste and interest. With the name "Pamela" you can go for just about any style. BTW, we are getting your rainstorms now. Lots of rain, thunder and lightning. The pond is full. Have a blessed weekend.
DeleteWhat beautiful memories, my friend. Wishing you a lovely rest of the week. smiles
ReplyDeleteThank you Linda. I know I was blessed to have such a wonderful mother in law. We had our moments, but for the most part she was a real champion for me and for our family. I definitely would never want to cross horns with her. She could be formidable. But then have you crying with laughter the next minute. We had some wonderful memories, and I was truly blessed. Thank you. I hope you have a wonderful weekend too.
DeletePam: I love those dishes. Her smile was a very special part of her.I was drawn to it as I saw these picture. God blessed you with a loving mother-in-love. Peace and blessing to you and yours.
DeleteThank you, Cecelia. I was blessed to have had this fun and wonderful loving woman for my MIL for so many years. There was never a dull moment with her around!
DeleteHappy birthday in heaven Nanny Steiner! Nanny looks like such a sweet, fun and loving person.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Martha. She was sweet and fun and loving, and she could also be a pistol when she wanted to be, but we had a lot of wonderful memories of times together and I am very thankful to have had her as my mother in law. God knew what I would need!
DeleteJust seeing her smiling face, makes me think that she was a very pleasant person to be around.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ruth. She was a lot of fun, but also had her "moments" of "you'd better watch out!", but we have so many happy and fun memories and I am very thankful God blessed me with her as my mother in law.
DeleteYour mother in law sounds charming. I love the photos of her in the kitchen with you….reminds me so much of times spent with my mother. The cherry blossom tea set is lovely. Oh yes, she and Lily Grace would have been good buddies! I hope you have a comfortable and restful night.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Mildred. I'm glad your comment came through. I am glad that you had a similar kind of relationship with your mother. Those memories are so special, aren't they? Yes, I know Nanny would have loved Lily Grace because she has green eyes, and that was a winner with her, since she also had green eyes and was partial to them. I had blue eyes, but she still loved me. LOL. I hope you are resting comfortably as well. Praying for you constantly. (((hugs)))
DeleteWhat a sweet post. She looks like a dear person and it is obvious that the two of you had a special relationship.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Vee. She was a dear person, and we did have a special bond. I was the daughter she never had and we truly did love each other, even though we had our moments, just like any mother/daughter relationship, but overall was that bond of love. I was blessed.
DeletePrecious memories and lovely photos! Thank you for sharing it all with us. I was blessed to have a wonderful mother-in-law, too. I was actually closer to her than to my own mother and she always said I fit right in with her brood of 7 and she considered me another daughter. She left us far too soon.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Stacy. You were blessed to have a good MIL too. I ended up spending a lot more time with my MIL than I did with my own dear mother, since I had her in my home so much for so long. My own mother passed away in 2006, and I never had the opportunity to spend as much time with her because of my work schedule, etc., even though I did help take care of her in her last year especially. Anyway, my MIL didn't have any daughters, just 2 boys, like me with just 3 boys, so she claimed me as her daughter and I was blessed to be a part of the family for so many years. I am glad you understand!! Have a blessed weekend.
DeleteShe was such a lovely lady, inside and out. I love the stories and the fun you always had with her and the love you all shared so well. Happy birthday in Heaven, dear lady!
ReplyDeleteThank you Terri! I was blessed to have her those many years. We did have some wonderful times together and I guess I must admit that I do miss her. But I know she is much happier where she is, with all her sisters and family and most of all Jesus! See you soon!
DeleteWhat a nice tribute to your MIL. The group picture is so nice! I like teacups too and would love to have my friends over for tea. But it is too hot right now. But my friends and I did go to a tea house a couple of weeks ago and it was really nice! Have a great weekend Pam!
ReplyDeleteOh what fun to go to a tea house with your friends! That sounds lovely! I haven't been to one in so long, and I'd really love to do that again sometime. And yes, I agree it is too hot to have tea party right now, but maybe in the fall or winter would be a good time. Thank you for visiting! Hope you are doing well.
DeleteNanny was a beautiful woman, inside and out. This reminds me that my own mother would have turned 93 on July 28. We never stop missing those we love, do we?
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Pamela!
No, we don't, Martha. And your grief is still so fresh and tender. I found writing to be good therapy for me when my parents died and then my son and then Nanny. But we are all different and handle grief differently. The main thing is to allow ourselves to do so. There's no time limit on grief. (((hugs)))
DeleteWhat a lovely tribute to a lovely woman! I would say, of that greatest generation, that they don't make them like that anymore...but...there's YOU so that theory goes out the window! But I will say, folks like you and folks like your mother-in-love Nanny are rare gems!
ReplyDeleteYou are very kind, Holly Rose. (I love your name). Our mothers' generation (and grandmothers) was so much different than what we have to face today, but feelings and emotions and love are still the same. Maybe they are expressed differently, but still such a part of who we are as women. I learned so much from that generation, and I only wish I had a little girl to pass some of this on to, but I guess you are all my little girls, and I will share what the Lord lays on my heart to share. If we can learn to respect and properly love and appreciate those who have given so much for us and for our well being, and then pass that on to the next generation, then we will have accomplished much. (I hope this makes sense). Have a blessed day my friend. And thank you again.
DeleteYou have been a faithful, loving, accepting daughter-in-love, which helps the mother of a husband to be even more wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Barbara. I took the story of Ruth very literally when we got married...Not only was I following my husband, but I felt I was following my mother in law too, much like Ruth and Naomi. That kind of commitment helped a lot in the later years when things were very difficult. God was very good to us and got us all though those difficult times. So very thankful.
DeleteA beautiful post and tribute to your mother-in-love. I really enjoyed all the photos of her and the family. She looks like an absolutely loving person.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Penny. That she was. She loved her family fiercely! She was definitely the Mama Lion kind of mother and grandmother! And she was also devoted to her own mother and her sisters and their families. She was a very special woman that I was privileged to know and love and be loved by. God is good.
DeleteThis is a beautiful post and it sounds like you were both blessed to have each other in your lives. ((Hugs))
ReplyDeleteThank you. I certainly felt that I was blessed. (((hugs))) to you too. Hope you had a good visit with your family this weekend.
DeleteLovely!
ReplyDelete