Happy birthday, dearest Ruby! Thirtyone…. a prime number…!

My sweet Munchkin always had such a natural way with words. There was something about her brain that absolutely adored and absorbed them. Once she heard a song, she had the words, every verse. Every word. She could memorize every part in a play and say it back with understanding and conviction. She was amazing!

The first time she spent her own money, she bought a beautiful boxed set of miniature Beatrice Potter books. She loved Roald Dahl stories, especially “The BFG” and “Danny, the Champion of the World”. But her all-time favorite was “The Minpins”. When she was 8, she memorized “A Fairy Went A-Marketing”, by Rose Fyleman. When I close my eyes I can see her standing there in her sweet innocence with her pure little voice becoming one with the poem. In third grade, her teacher gave her a hat and a pipe… she rocked it as Sherlock… became the character. Amazing! In fourth grade she became Mark Twain. She always gave it her all! By fourth grade her teachers were quick to point out that she was reading at a twelfth grade level. In ninth grade they created a special award for her at the awards assembly: “Most Grammatically Correct”. Mama was always so very proud!

When she tried out for a play in high school the kids raved, told her she was amazing, and should be able to choose her part! But… the teacher advisor for the plays was also the therapist who had seen her in the emergency room when she cut her wrists and the police found her sitting in her car at the side of the road writing in her journal. Now that was bad luck!

Ruby worked so hard to live her life! She was a vibrant young woman full of passion and love! She helped so many of us to see how much more there is to see! I miss her so much every day! Ruby was full of love and compassion for everyone she knew… please look up that little fairy poem (or better yet, the wonderful children’s book illustrated by Jamichael Henterly… still in print), close your eyes, and imagine Munchkin reciting it to you. You will know that she took those words to heart all her life… and that she had to slip away, too!

These birthday pictures:  one of Ruby’s favorite teachers in high school took the balloon liberation photo… one of her own personal faves! This was in the middle of her homemade T-shirt phase. After classes were out, she took her friends into the parking lot with her bouquet of birthday balloons… and liberated them! A tradition was born. The handpainting is self explanatory… going all in every time! And the rice crispie treats? Best road food ever! She made this batch for my birthday and used her artistic touch, freeing them from the pan and making them so special!

We (her family) are going to honor her this evening with a barbeque followed by rice crispie treats! Sending her bunches and bunches of love! Please light a candle for my dear Munchkin and send her much love, too!