Martha and Elizabeth

Martha was born at home in a little town in southern Oregon on April 21, 1926.  She grew up in the Pacific Northwest, went to school, eventually married and had four children, three girls and a boy.  Martha lives in a residential facility for people with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.  She usually recognizes family members, but sometimes it takes a while for her to remember their names.

Nearly fifty years ago, one of the books Martha gave her daughters to read was The Little Princesses, about Elizabeth and Margaret, the daughters of British royalty.

Elizabeth was also born on April 21, 1926.  She was born in her grandfather's home in London, received an education, and grew up to be Queen Elizabeth II.  She also married and had four children, three boys and a girl.  Today she lives at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and other British royal homes.  She is looking forward to her grandson William's wedding in the near future.

These two women who became 85 years old on Thursday led very different lives.  My mother, Martha, has always been very proud of the fact that she was born on the very same day as Queen Elizabeth II and has reminded us of it throughout the years.  We maintain that Mom may not be royalty, but she will always be our "Queen Mum."