Blog Challenge - Women I admire

Wow, lookie there this is my 200th blog post. Cool.

I just finished up a digital scrapbook layout using the 3rd sketch from the Feeling Scrappy class I am taking. Since the layout is of Matt's great-great aunt on her 100th birthday I will use it as a jumping off point to honor her.

Given the "rules" of this challenge I need to pick one of the writing prompts. This lady fairly personifies a woman I am in awe of.

Credits: Sketch by Stacey Lokovic. Maroon paper, yellowish paper, lace, bling and heart are all from a free kit by DigiLover's Addiction.
Purple background paper designed by me with a PSE 6 brush. Font: Lucida Handwriting.

Aunt Melba is a fascinating lady. She is tough as nails and fiercely independent. She has lived on her own since her husband Ray passed away over 10 years ago. Given that she is 100 years old, it amazes me that she still gets around on her own with just the use of wheeled walker. After all there are days I would like to be able to use one of those so she is doing great. She lives in an assisted living facility where she has a little apartment. She has a couple of doggies to keep her company.

Did I mention she is tough? She and Ray lived their entire married life in Los Angeles where he was an artist and furniture designer/builder for Hollywood. Their home was on the fringes of the LA riots in 1992. Let's do the math for a second. That was 16 years ago. 100 - 16 = 84. She was 84 years old at that time. Did they leave and let the police protect their home and property? No they did not. They stayed. They, with the help of some trusted young people from the neighborhood, protected their home through all the burning and fighting.

I am in awe of this woman. She had no children of her own but helped to raise her sister's children and helped those children with their families as well. One of those children was my husband's grandmother. Melba has outlived so many in her life including, sadly, Grandma Dessert. Frankly just the changes in this country and our social norms this woman has seen leave me in awe. We are coming up on her 101st birthday soon. Oley smokes that is a long time.

Since her health has held, her mind is still firmly intact and she is so independent, I would not be surprised to be invited back to celebrate 105 years in 2013.