Speaking of my birthday

There's been something missing from my birthdays for about two years now.  Specifically, someone has been missing, and something has been missing for a a couple of years before that.  You see, very, very early on the morning of my birthday my phone would ring.  I would answer and shortly hear my Granny's voice say "Happy Birthday!"  It was sort of a tradition with us.  My Granny ALWAYS called me on the morning of my birthday.  It was like she wanted to be sure I started my day as a birthday girl should!  As expected with her declining health in the last few years of her life, so did the birthday calls.  I don't know why this is on my mind.  Maybe it's because John Brady's birthday was just a couple of days ago on January 20.  Maybe it's because I had a flashback as I handed him my phone when his Nanny called him on his birthday.  Maybe it's because you never lose a special bond even after death.  No matter what it is, oh, how I cherish each and every one of those birthday calls.  And oh, how I wish I could call her on her upcoming February 12th birthday!