Birthdays and Changes
2002-07-01 - 9:21 a.m.

Well Saturday we got up early to run errands for Christie's party. We were tired from the retirement party the night before but had to press on as the weekend was scheduled like a workweek!

We finished up in time to run back home for lunch and a brief nap then off to decorate the party room at the hotel. Streamers with stars attached over doorways and red white & blue bunting here and there. A dancing hamster that sang "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy!" much to Katie's dismay.

Then they started to arrive, one by one until there were eight 12-14 yr olds with the noise level rising with the population explosion! Down to the pool for some silliness and fun then back up for snow cones and gifts. To our chagrin there was a huge Boy Scout troop there as well. Fortunately at mostly 12 there was little interest!

On to pizza, party favors, cake and ice cream before Les and I retired to our suite and the girls "settled" down to an all nighter of teen angst movies, popcorn and painting toenails in red white and blue nailpolish.

we were awakened by Kate at 0730 ;-( who informed us she had made them clean up the other suite (YEA!) and they were starving for breakfast.

After breakfast they broke into two camps, the loud ones over with us to watch "Ever After" and the quiet ones in the other suite just talking and relaxing til parent pickup.

After the last girl was picked up (almost an hour late) we checked out and raced to his Parents' home for his Dad's birthday. So here we were intensely aware of how lucky we were only to have two daughters and then an hour later we were in the midst of seven grands and nine adults!

I had not mentioned the biggest impact of Dr Dad's retirement party. Les's Mom was there in a wheelchair and incredibly weak. So much change in the two weeks since we had seen her. Usually for her birthday we went to the Club or Gpa grills out. For his she has always cooked. We had brought a cake and I assumed the others who were at the house were planning dinner. When we got there I found out the plan was for Dr. Dad's sister to "take us all out to dinner." Yep all SIXTEEN people including preschoolers and our exhausted and ill Matriarch. Of course that plan had been rejected but there was literally no plan B. P>

I whispered to Les and ran to the grocery store; I did not ask as I did not want his Mom to try to tell me it was too much trouble. I came home to make chicken and shrimp kabobs, orzo with spinach and a ceasar's salad. Les and Kate helped me cook in a kitchen where no-one knew where anything was cause that had always been her private domain.

We had a poignant and charming dinner. My sisters-in-law did the clean up. We brought the cake into the den where his Mom was; another change as we have never eaten there. We took lots of pictures because quietly in each of our hearts we all knew how important this together time was.

Just before we left, Robert brought his mom out to the front porch (no steps) so she could watch the kids run and play in the yard. I brought a chair out for her and she, Les and I watched her seven beautiful Grands tumble over each other. As we left and ran the gauntlet of kisses and hugs she grabbed my hand and looked into my eyes and thanked me, "for making Les's birthday dinner a celebration."

The intensity of her eyes remains with me now. She knows, she knows we know. Still, we will do it her way.

No talk of passings. Only of living.

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