Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Happy 80th!

Kev's mom is 80 today. She threw a party last weekend, and there were 20 of us. We all met at this one Chinese restaurant that she likes in Seattle and then went back to her place for cake and ice cream. She had a table full of snacks, but I think most people were still too full from lunch and then cake to do anything but nibble a few nuts. Kev rearranged the furniture to better seat everyone, so it was comfortable and still intimate.

My sister-in-law, Doreen, ordered the cake, and it was great--vanilla with a Bavarian cream filling. The restaurant let her keep it in their fridge while we were there because it was a warm day, especially for the West side.

Voila, zee cake!

The people always make the event. It was lovely to meet her friend, Ruth Li, who showed such kindness to Brett when he stayed with Mom last December. Her bright blue socks made me happy. It was so good of Kev's cousins to come, one from Gig Harbor and one from Tacoma, especially in light of the traffic from the Husky game. It was just plain wonderful to visit with Kev's aunts, the oldest and youngest sisters of his biological mother. They are the best. Not a minute into any conversation with Aunt Ila, and you're laughing. She lives in Victoria, which I understand has a huge bunny overpopulation problem. No crime, just thousands of wabbits.

Kev and the always adorable Aunt Ila

After her neighbor and walking partner left the party for home, I realized that if I was going to get the group shot I wanted, I had better do it right then. It was a beautiful day, completely defying every forecast we'd seen every day beforehand.

The Partay
L-R: Kevin, Me, Doreen, Dorine, Jo (Mom's cousin), David (Kev's cousin), Ruth Li (can you dig the blue socks? =), Mel (Kev's brother), Birthday Girl, Monica (David's wife), Eleanor & Berlyn Wible, Uncle Gary, Lorene (Kev's cousin), George (Lorene's husband), Aunt Mary Ellen, Jamie, Aunt Ila,
and Jylle
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Doreen's face is barely visible in all six of the pictures I took. Rats. But at least we have this memory shot for Mom, minus the one neighbor.

Mom is going to a prayer meeting today on this, her 80th birthday. Then she's going to spend the night with her friend, Dorine. I hope she has the best 80th birthday that anyone has ever had since the world began. She is healthy, takes good care of herself, and did/does the three things the oldest man alive says to do: Stay in school, work as long as you can, and always help others. She's the poster child for that last one down. She is a jewel, a gem, a peach, a rose, the sweetest Proverbs 31 woman ever, and we thank the Lord for her life every single day. Happy birthday, precious lady.

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