The Perfect Seven

 

My Mother used to say seven is the Biblical number of spiritual perfection and completion. Here is, I suppose, the last photo of the (ahem) "Perfect Seven" of her children. We lost my youngest sister, Beth, yesterday. We certainly feel incomplete now. 

This was taken by our great niece Hannah Yoest outside Trinity United Methodist Church in Rome, Georgia, one year ago today, after Ruth Baird Shaw's funeral service. L-R: Sharlyn Beth Shaw (Roszel), Charles Terrell Shaw, Deborah Ruth Shaw (Lewis), Janice Diane Shaw (Crouse), Lynda Joan Shaw (Turrentine), David Baird Shaw, Mary Carol Shaw (Johnston)

I'm so thankful to all the folks who contributed to my Mother's beautiful memorial service. I am tempted to name names but I'm sure I would leave someone out. I will thank three non-family folks again who were so loving and helpful: our wonderful pastor, Nanci Hicks; our friend Beverly Harris who filled in beautifully as pianist on very short notice, and Chip Rogers who made sure the service was live-streamed and recorded so those who could not attend could participate online.

 I watched the video again yesterday. Here is the link to that service.

Gleaning Facebook: A Picture to Remember

 

My great niece Hannah Yoest has a number of talents, not the least of which is photography. Here is a photo she took recently of my beautiful mother, Ruth Baird Shaw, and her eldest daughter, and Hannah's grandmother, Janice Shaw Crouse. Rembrandt may have been Hannah's lighting assistant.

Time Machine: Mackville Thoro'bred 1952-53

I grew up adoring my two older sisters. I saw them as the smartest and most beautiful girls ever. They were cheerleaders. Jan played the piano. Joan would be chosen a "Georgia Peach of the Week" by the Atlanta Constitution later this decade. But for 1953 they were the "Queens" of their classes at Mackville School - Joan in Sixth Grade  and Jan in Eighth.

I will start school next year and be pictured with Mrs. Overstreet's first grade class there. 

Seventy years from now Joan will post these pictures on something called "Facebook" and write:

Wow! I had to open and look through this yearbook to even figure out what school this was. We only lived in Mackville, KY two years - my 6th and 7th grade. Apparently Jan and I were “queens” of our classes. Who knew?! That’s me with my head turned! Jan is 4 to the right of me.