Turning 100 years old is a milestone many people hope to make it to.
One Central Texas woman, Martha Gradel, turned 100 on Sunday.
Over the weekend, surrounded by family and friends, Martha celebrated her 100th birthday.
"One hundred is, that's pretty special. I looked in the card department at HEB and they only had like two cards for people that are 100. So there wasn't a big stack of them," Steven Gradel, Martha's son, said. "It's kind of a special thing. Very significant for our family."
Martha, also known as "Big Mom," has eight kids, eighteen grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.
"She's a great mom. Took us to baseball practice. [She] had five boys playing baseball and if they had softball, my sisters would be playing softball. And she'd be taking them too," Steven said.
Martha was born November 26, 1917.
"It's kind of a strange feeling. I never expected to make it to 100," Martha said.
Family and friends gathered at her daughter and son-in-law's home on Saturday to celebrate the big milestone.
Martha said the secret to living to be 100 years old is "everything in moderation."
Martha still enjoys reading and going to different events for her family, like graduations. She also still exercises by walking on a treadmill.
"The one piece of advice I have is to accept people the way they are because none of us are perfect," Martha said.
Copyright 2017 KXXV. All rights reserved.
