Penny's Plaque

Several things made an impression on me the first Christmas I shared with Bobby and his parents. One was that Bobby’s Mom (Penny) had an abundance of Christmas decorations. I found this comforting knowing she had prepared him for my Christmas exuberance! Another was that Penny had extra presents available because she never wanted a guest to feel left out.

Penny always had a birthday cake as dessert after Christmas supper. Christmas was, after all, a birthday celebration. Along those lines, she also had a plaque that hung on her front door that said, “Happy Birthday, Jesus”. The first time I saw it, Bobby gave me that sideways look children give to friends when encountering what they deem as parental folly.

When we were cleaning out the house after her passing, there were few things I wanted more than that plaque. It now hangs on our front door.