For the Love of Daisies

On January 22 my 97 year old grandmother passed away.  She was an amazing woman.  My grandpa passed away 17 years ago and she lived on her own until 4 months before her death.  She beat cancer twice once in the 1950's when almost no one beat cancer.  She worked hard and preserved through a difficult life.  We always jokingly said that we come from a line of "sturdy" women.  I love her so much and miss her every day!  Today, I was cleaning out one of the flower arrangements from her funeral.  We bought a beautiful spray of white roses, white lilies, blue delphinium and daisies.  After a week, I cleaned out the roses and some of the delphinium and this week I cleaned out the lilies and the rest of the delphinium, but the daisies are all still going strong.  They are so beautiful and bright and sturdy!  As I cleaned the flowers, I realized that my grandmother was a daisy - beautiful and sturdy.  She was strong and beautiful no matter the circumstances and while I may not be as beautiful as she was I too am a sturdy girl.  It took me a while to be grateful to be a "sturdy" girl, but once I started having, raising and schooling my children I was very grateful to be like my grandma.  I have seen a lot of women start homeschooling with beautiful plans and ideas, but they stopped after only a short time.  Muck like the roses and the lilies they browned and gave up quickly.  I also know many women who are daisies.  They homeschool in a bright and beautiful but not flashy way.  And most important they hang on for the long haul.  For a good portion of my life I wanted to be a rose, someone others thought was beautiful and elegant and delicate.  Now after 26 years of marriage, 4 kids and 12 years of homeschooling I am really happy to be a daisy.  Daisies have always been my favorite flowers and now I love them even more!  Here's to you grandma and all the daisies in my life!