20 Years Ago

Twenty years ago today, I took Goodpasture Elementary School on a walking tour.  It was a Thursday.  I remember that because on that day, a very special event occured.  My sister gave birth to her first child; a girl named Maclellan; Ann Maclellan.  Mr. Lincoln and I had just returned from Boston where he had run the marathon.  I remember somebody in the waiting room that day, who had never run a marathon, telling me all about second winds and hitting walls etc.  Funny how that sticks in my head.   

My sister fought hard to get Mac here.  She spent a good part of her pregnancy in the hospital, and most of the rest of it in bed at home.  I learned how to insert a needle in her thigh for the pump that was administering medicine to prevent pre-term labor.  My daddy sat with my sister, my mother waited on her, cooked for her, ran errands for her, and kept her spirits up.  I tried to teach her to cross stitch.

I also tried to be the comic relief.  It is possible that I am not as humorous as I think I am.  I remember while in the hospital on magnesium, which must make a person very woozy, my sister needed help getting a shower.  I came to help.  Her eyes were unfocused, sort of rolling around in the top of her head, she was eight or so months pregnant, swollen.  Most of you know the drill.  As I helped her dry off, I commented on how enticing she must be for her husband at this particular time in her life.  I hoped she would not remember my comment through the drug haze, but to this day she still remembers my attempt at "cheering her up" with my humor.

How in the world have twenty years passed so quickly? 

I wrote about Maclellan last August when she was leaving for school in Arkansas.  We miss her about as much as we thought we would ~ A LOT!!  I could not let her 20th go by unrecognized.  This year,  Mac and I both have big birthdays that end in zero.  I am fairly certain she thinks it will be forever until she hits the milestone I will reach this year, but I can tell her that the next 40 years will pass in the blink of an eye.  I wonder where these past twenty years have gone?  These past 40 have gone just as quickly. 

It is always a pleasure to tell people that I am Maclellan's aunt.  Everyone who knows her, loves her. She isn't the type female that makes you embarrassed to be a girl.  She gives women a good
name.

Mac and Sim Meet

I think she might be absentminded, however.  I sent her a birthday present.  It was to arrive at Harding on Wednesday.  I checked with her on Friday, but she had not gotten it.  Of course I was worried, so on Saturday I went to that pig sty of a vehicle I drive (nobody would ever break into it because they would be certain that it had already been ransacked) to search for the UPS tracking number.  Finally, after sorting through upteem Sonic receipts, bank deposit slips, parking passes, and cough drop wrappers I found it.  When I checked on it (well, MP did it for me because I could not figure out how, and I got to hold Simeon while she figured it out) it had been delivered on Wednesday.  Good grief, girl.  Go get your present.  When I told her it had been delivered, she replied that she was a Hubbard and that she would check today.   For that reason, I will not be posting this blog until the afternoon.  Too bad Mac, no reading material during chapel.  :-)

I sent her 20 gifts, nay, 21 gifts.  Apparently, I cannot count.  I did this for MP when she turned 20, and was away at college.  This will be Mac's first birthday away from home.  I don't like it.  But, I did have fun putting the gift together.  SPOILER ALERT, MAC...GO TO THE POST OFFICE!!!  It is a collection of silly things, like a flashlight, flip flops, slime, a Woolly Willy (love those things), a book of words (is that redundant?)...well, "Words Everyone Should Know, a key chain, etc...  I wrote a poem with each gift.  Let me clarify; each note rhymed, but in no society could they be called poetry.  Elizabeth Barrett Browning would roll over in her grave!  My favorite was a package of peppermint sticks from Cracker Barrell.  I love that peppermint.  Sadly, the poem said something like..."I'm a bit embarrassed by this one, but let's face it, there could have been none."  I ate every stick but one, so I sent the remainder to her.  She'll get and appreciate the humor.  That is just one reason I love her so much.

So, I will miss a family birthday celebration for our Mac.  We'll just have to plan one for May, after she has returned home.  It is a family tradition for me to call everyone on their birthday and sing Happy Birthday.  Let me clarify; the words are there, the tune is not, and it ends with the last note being held as long as possible, which sometimes is many times longer than anyone would desire.  Mildred J. and Dr. Patty Smith Hill would be rolling over in their graves.

Happy Birthday beautiful Ann Maclellan Hubbard.  Your Aunt Mellie loves you to pieces.

So for today, I wish you birthday celebrations, fun times, and silly traditions with those you love, and I wish you

blessings