Great Grandma Ruthie Songs

Last night you hoolies asked me before bed to sing the Great Grandma Ruthie Song, "Good Morning Mary Sunshine" to you while you woke up; like I did every morning that I would wake you. That got me thinking; I need to write that song down for you again. Maybe I have done it before... I probably have but you cannot have too much of a good thing. Here goes:

Good morning Mary Sunshine,
How did you wake so soon?
You shined away the stars above,
You shined away the moon.

I watched you sleep last night my love,
before I laid my head. 
I gazed at you and thanked the Lord
then laid my weary head.

I never go to sleep, dear,
I just go 'round to see
My little children of the East,
Who rise to watch for me.
I waken all the birds and bees,
And flowers on my way,
Then last of all, the little child
Who stayed out late to play.

Great Grandma Ruthie sang that to me often when I would see her. In fact she is always singing when we see her. I find the tunes she sings comforting and it takes me back to my youth. I think of her house by the gas station. I think about her pugs; Shananigans was everyones favorite. I think about how she had the bar that had cupboards over it, and the oodles of plants that always graced her windows. I remember going there and a different color paint being on the walls. I remember being maybe 5, we went over there to visit and then when we went back she had painted over what had been previously a burnt orange color, was not a mint green. I don't know how Grandma did that kind of stuff. When I painted your small little bathroom all by myself I was so tired of painting I never wanted to see a paint brush again! I think about Grandma's bedroom and how she always had tums on her nightstand (she probably still does) but I haven't been in her room in a very long while. I conjure up memories from playing outside in the fenced in yard and games we use to play. And the dark purple leaves on the trees. All the while if we (we meaning Uncle Lou and Cousins: Jerry & Jenn Ann) didn't hear adult chatter permeating from the windows; Grandma's voice carried like an angel from Heaven. While Great Grandma doesn't have an opera singing voice; she does hold a tune that can seep into your soul. It's the kind of tune that when you realize you're humming it; it's in your bones -- it feels too good to stop! Great Grandma's have a way of doing things like that... On the most recent occasion she sang; Sing Me a Song. And guess what; we went home humming that tune. Yes, yes we did! We hummed the heck out of "Sing Me a Song"... we couldn't remember the words... okay we could but only the first part... humming it was way more fun it seemed; I wasn't about to break the humming in the car -- I was far too busy keeping up with you both. I love those moments; I hope you know that. That's what being a mommy is all about -- humming songs in the car and feeling it in your bones because it makes you so happy.


Sing, sing a song
Sing out loud
Sing out strong
Sing of good things, not bad
Sing of happy, not sad.
Sing, sing a song
Make it simple
To last your whole life long
Don't worry that it's not good enough
for anyone else to hear
Just sing, sing a song.
Sing, sing a song
Let the world sing along
Sing of love there could be
Sing for you and for me.
Sing, sing a song
Make it simple
To last your whole life long
Don't worry that it's not good enough
for anyone else to hear
Just sing, sing a song.

Those are the ones I can remember for now. I think we may have to get the vault of songs out and write them out for you here; so one day they can be sung to future babies... ours...our friends... people we just happen to meet. Songs make everyone happy -- it's the little happy tune that does it for me. xo