Gran, your great-grand-daughter is FIVE today!

Your great-grand-daughter is five today - I can hardly believe it. In thinking about the past five years, I can't help missing you as well - I'm looking at a portrait sketch of you near the same age, and people always comment on the striking resemblance.

When she was born, we had just made the difficult decision to place you at Rosehaven in your beloved Litchfield Connecticut after keeping you at home for as long as possible, with 24/7 care since late 1999.

I know that she was able to give you some joy at Rosehaven when we visited, and that the boys did also when they were small and we took care of you at home. So what would you say to Scarlett today on her birthday?

"You're given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself. What you say is completely up to you."

Yes! I love this quote from Wrinkle - (in fact I have based a whole workshop on it!) It is as appropriate for Meg as it is for your great-grands and for any of us - about the gift of life, and the gift of choices - in writing, it is the gift of structure and the gift of our voices. You inhabited all of your characters, but for today I shall think of you in your Mrs. Whatsit guise.

You'll be glad that we're wearing our party dresses and going to have lunch at the Plaza, continuing our tradition of being fancy shmancy and living life to the fullest. You are with us in spirit!