CATHERINE!

CATHERINE

As I looked through my family tree, I found many with the name of Catherine which means BLESSED, PURE AND HOLY!

In 1838 Eliza Catherine (Bray) Roney my great great grandmother was born.

In 1869 Nellie Catherine (Roney) Camp my great grandmother was born.

In 1860 Lucy Catherine (Gardner) Ferrill my great grandmother was born.

In 1926 Verna Catherine (Camp) Tyson my mother was born.

In 1972 Nealy Catherine (Nihiser) Lourash my daughter was born.

And June 9,1995 Catherine Grace Lourash my granddaughter was born.

The first time I layed eyes on Catherine Grace I was in love! She was wriggly and red but to me she was a delight and as she got older, DELIGHTFUL was the way I would always described her. She was one who enjoyed pushing her little pink toe over the imaginary line drawn by her parents, so some might have described her as a strong willed child but I always found her DELIGHTFUL.

I remember one Christmas season, the rest of the family went out to get a Christmas tree while her and I stayed home and made cookies. We talked, while she stirred the batter, poked her little fingers in the cookie dough and had more flour on her than was in the bowl. We cut out the cookies with care and placed them all on the cookie sheet, I turned away for just a second to turn on the oven and when I turned back all the cookies were already grabbed up, rolled in a ball and ready to re-cut! I laughed and again thought DELIGHTFUL!

I remember the story I was told about Cati’s trip to the eye doctor. She had complained about not seeing well, which also coincided with several girls in her grade school class getting glasses that year. The wise doctor asked her to read the chart with the letters of different sizes. Squinting and getting most of them wrong, the doctor seeing her struggle placed a pair of pink glasses on her face. Happily, Cati read the chart again, but this time she read the letters with ease. The only thing sweeter than her pink glasses was her huge smile. Who knew seeing could make a little girl so happy! At that, the doctor put his two fingers through the frames of the glasses, touching Catherine’s surprised eyes. The glasses had no lenses. DELIGHTFUL!

Easter at our church always means “Passion” a performance that beautifully depicts the life of Christ. This year Catherine sang a moving song that brought tears to my eyes. Not only did I love the words and the beautiful way she sang but I love the young woman that she has become. I love that she knows the Lord and I love the way she lives her life blessing others. I love the way she has called on the Lord to help her through many difficult times in her young life. I love the person that has gone from a DELIGHTFUL child to a DELIGHTFUL young woman. Happy Birthday Catherine Grace! Like those Catherines before you, you wear your name well. BLESSED, PURE AND HOLY! And DELIGHTFUL!

I love you so much Cati Grace!