Gekas Family: Happy Birthday Grandma Emma!

Today is my Grandmas birthday. I just wanted to post a few words about her. I have been thinking of her today and always. I have such awesome memories of my grandmother. She raised such a wonderful family and was always so supportive for us grandkids. My favorite memories were going to her house for holidays and special occasions and hanging out. She always gave us 7-up and coffee ice cream. Yumm. She would always say thank you to me for being such a good girl and finishing my plate (still a problem I have, HA!) I don't think there was ever a time that I saw my Grandma and she didn't have her hair done and red lipstick on. She was a great cook, a good listener, and a fabulous storyteller. I will never forget the day she met Andrew and told him how she was a "real looker" back in her day and asked him for a kiss! :) Did I mention she was a flirt? My favorite story is when I was turning 12 my best friends and my mom planned a surprise birthday party for me and they told me we were going to dinner and a play. My mom took me to get a really pretty dress and heals and I got all dolled up. The best part was that my Grandma came over to help me get ready and to take pictures with me and it made the day even more special. When I think of my Grandmother I think of how amazing her life was. She was so lucky to have met my Grandfather and share over 50 years with the love of her life, raise a big family, they weren't rich but they were happy and that was what really mattered! Such an inspiration to all of us. My Grandma went through a lot in her life but she always seemed to be such a strong woman of faith. She was so beautiful. When I look in my daughters eyes I see my grandmother and my mother which is so amazing.

I asked my aunts to send something they would like to share with Noah and Sophia when they are older about their Great Grandmother so here goes...

From Aunt Claire: "I am quite overwhelmed by this request. When I think of my mom I see her in so many different stories. I remember when she had to go to the hospital to have her varicose veins removed and we were standing outside the hospital--all of us kids-and waving to a window that daddy told us was where mom was. We never knew if it was or not.I remember how mom used to do all the linens for the Catholic priests in the Navy. Daddy had graduated from Boston College with a man named Alan Gibbons. He became a priest and was a Navy priest. Daddy met him again at a Knights of Columbus dinner and daddy invited him to our house. He was wonderful and we fell in love with him. His mom even flew out to Long Beach to see Fr. Gibbons and she came to our house for dinner many times. Mom started helping Fr. Gibbons and ironing and starching all of the altar linens for the Navy. She worked her butt off. And Jim never let mom iron for him!!!I remember the huge Thanksgiving meal we had with a couple of priests at the house and their families and of course the adults were drinking before dinner. By the time we all sat down to eat, Jeannie and I and someone else at the children's table, we were passing the food and mom was asleep at the table with her face in her mashed potatoes. What mom didn't realize was that they kept refreshing her drink and she was so busy she had not paid any attention and was inebriated by the time we had dinner.....And could she cook...Daddy would not tell mom; he would just bring home a big bag of green apples and she would know that she was to make apple pies for daddy.I will never forget when Sister Jonathan decided to slap me across the face when I was in the 8th grade. You see, she asked a question and I answered it and she said I was wrong and I knew I was right, so I challenged her. She told me to go outside the classroom and in the hall she slapped me so hard they could hear it outside. I was so stunned I could not believe it. She told me to go home and I did. I walked home and told mom what had happened. In less than two minutes she was on the phone with Monsignor Dolan demanding an apology and threatening to leave the school. That was St. Anthony's School. And that my dear Jeana is the story for your blog. It shows Sophia and Noah how much and how far a parent will go to stand up for their child when they know the child is right and truthful. Had I been a liar and untruthful she would never had done that. My mom was a strong wonderful woman.Thanks you have brought a smile and a tear to my face remembering. You are a dear. Love to you, Claire Bear"

From Aunt Annie: "Ok, so when I was about 6 a neighbor gave me a kitten. I brought her home and Mom said "Absolutely, no way" She had the five of us to care for remember. So, being the smarty I am, I went to Daddy and because it was an orange tabby I said "But Daddy, it is an Irish kitty." Can you imagine Granpa and how fast he melted? So Mom knew she had someone else to care for. So my kitty had her litter of kittens in Jeannie's crib. As mad as she was, She very carefully made a place for Sniffy and her babies in the garage. A few days later she was looking out the kitchen window and saw our wonderful dog Prince licking and licking. Mom went out to investigate and found Prince had one of the kittens and was cleaning it. Mom took the baby back to the mom and scolded her for letting the dog have her baby. Anyway, this process repeated itself many times as Sniffy would let Prince take her babies and clean them. Mom couldnot believe it. So Mom was always the disciplinarian, the hard nose who made us behave, but who really had a huge soft spot of us and our animals.Thank you for getting me to remember that. We had a great time with the animals, The rootbeer exploding at all hours and a whole lot of other stuff. Love you, Aunt Annie"