91 Years Young

Even at 88, she was able to show up everyone in the family & do a headstand in the middle of her living room. And not just do a headstand, but do a headstand WELL.

{RUTH DOING A HEADSTAND, JAN. 2009}

My paternal grandmother Ruth is a fireball. Her compeditive nature gives her that extra spunk that you can see in her bridge playing, her well-manicured lawn, her love of sports (especially with the University of Oklahoma), and her attitude towards life. I love hearing her stories: she was one of the first women on the Checotah city council; wore pants so stylishly before women really did that; loves the jitterbug; was quite the golfer; bought a farm (my parents' current land) as a hobby; and wrestled my father to the ground to remind him who was boss when he challenged her as a sassy teenager.

{RUTH BLOWING OUT 90 + 1 CANDLES}

As the matriarch of a crazy bunch of Sharpes, we gather at her house for our traditional post-church pizza & salad lunch, sitting around her living room as we enjoy lunch & catch up on life. We celebrated her 91st birthday by gathering at her house for a potluck dinner & watching some OU football.

{RUTH & MY DAD, LOGAN}

Tomorrow, she's having knee replacement surgery. We were discussing the surgery this past summer and she asked me in a joking manner, "do you think it's optimistic?" We laughed. Her realistic and zesty grasp on life makes Ruth who she is and we love her for that.  

Happy 91st birthday, Ruth! We love you!