Turning 80

This weekend we celebrated my grandmother's 80th birthday. It was quite the time. The festivities really started when my aunt and uncle from California arrived. My aunt, a Methodist Minister, and my uncle, a school bus driver, mensa member, who is now an autoharp player and teacher. They are the epitomy of going against the mold. Then on Friday, my grandmother's two sisters and brother arrived along with a great nephew who has reactive attachment disorder and ADD, my mom and Al, and my sister. It was a house full to be sure. Let me try to paint you a picture of my family. My grandmother and her sisters along with my aunt and my mother are sitting around the table everyone talking expressing opinions, and reminincing. My grandmothers brother is sitting outside with Al, drinking a beer (# who knows what). Al is sitting outside messing with his guitar and still yet to speak to my sister or I or look us in the eye (The cause of that behavior is a whole other story) The 12 year old who has ADD, has had a fit already about how he is bored and everyone is being selfish b/c he is not getting to do anything. He has gone through every room in the house and been told no possibly 100 times. Good times :)

Surprisingly, the time went great. Grandma had a big celebration on Saturday, where the whole neighborhood got together plus family to eat brauts and sweet corn, play music and just enjoy community and life. My mother and her sister got along better than I had ever seen before, my aunt and uncle got to know my sister better, there was much less competition and more laughing. I am happy to say that the 80th birthday went without a hitch and grandma was totally blessed and I feel that everyone got to know each other that much better. The only bummer is that Al left without speaking to my sister or I or having any contact with us. It is a sad situation, but I am glad that everyone knows what is going on and there are no secrets. Please pray for my mom and her marriage, things are getting worse instead of better and we are all concerned. Until next time...