Ms. Garza

 Mr. & Mrs. Julius Carrio Circa 1933?

Ms. Garza. 

                                                                  It is not uncommon for my father to refer to me by this name.

It is not uncommon for 

my father's mother to refer to me by this name.

Confused? 

My father's mother's maiden name is Garza. 

Ms. Garza is my grandmother. (Well really she is MRS. Carrio but we all know that maiden name is who we are forever)

Ms. Garza is ALSO me.

I am very blessed because I feel both my grandmothers and my mother are amazing women and I am blessed to be anything like them.

But I love Ms. Garza. 

She is blunt. 

She doesn't take crap from ANYONE.

She is fiesty and a firecracker.

She makes herself laugh more than anyone

 else makes her laugh.

She has an attitude like no one would believe.

I think these are all reasons why they call me Ms. Garza. But, though those may seem like negative quality traits they seem positive to me. In addition, my grandmother is one of the most beautiful people I have ever met in person. 

She is so incredibly loving and caring. My dad being the youngest of eight she was significantly older than all the other grandma's. She never took me out to Chuck E. Cheese's or on trips to the mall. It is hard for me to remember a time when she didn't use a walker or wheelchair to get around. 

But, I know that I used to dial her number several times a day as a child to talk to her. I would climb up on the counter to get to the phone attached to the wall. The touch of an orange button connected me to her. She would listen and appease me. She would remember my birthday and call me and send me cards. She never forgot, even with an insane amount of grandchildren. 

As I got older I started to get to know her better though. I never really felt like she had a lot of grandchildren. Just me. Sure, pictures of cousins I had met a few times adored her mirrors and walls but they were decades older than me and lived across the country. I was her only grandchild...and maybe sometimes I would allow my siblings privileges too. And as time grew on our bond grew. I think she saw that fierce rebellion in my eye. Calling me Ms. Garza only drew me closer to her. She was so happy when I got engaged but I think she was happier when I called it off. It solidified the fact I was hers. I had come from her, I was independent and I " had iron pants" as she once told me!!!

I have heard her complain about different things throughout my lifetime but she tries to keep a positive attitude. (sounds vaguely familiar...hmmm) Even though she is physically unable to care for herself she is still so smart and with it. She makes me laugh.  When I think about her it is always with a smile on my face. The last few times I have been home I have taken at least one day to go and sit with her by myself for a few hours. I love talking to her. She has the best stories and the best secrets. I love to ask her about the early years with my grandfather and I can NEVER get enough of her telling me how he came into Woolworths one day which is how they met and grin from ear to ear as she begins to tell me, "What a scoundral Mr. Carrio was" as she laughs and chuckles to herself. Ms. Garza also keeps the best secrets. She may not have been the traditional grandmother but I know how much she loves me and I could cry thinking about how much I love her. 

She turned 94 yesterday. I wish I could have been there to wish her a Happy Birthday in Person.

I love you Granny!