On February 3, 2010, Memaw turned 80 years old! I can't believe it because I don't think she looks 80 AT ALL! She is such a huge and special part of my life and I am so glad I got her as another grandmother when John and I got married!
Allison and I had been planning some things for Memaw's special 80th birthday for a few weeks before her birthday. On Wednesday,the day before Memaw's actual birthday, I hosted a surprise luncheon for her and her two sisters and three of her close friends. Allison and Memaw came over Tuesday night for dinner and we sent Memaw home afterwards so that we all could watch Lost on tv later. Little did Memaw know that as soon as she left, we started cooking and cleaning to prepare for her little party the next day. The soup was put together and only had to be simmered for an hour the next day. The salad was ready to put together. The pie was prepared and in the refrigerator, and the cornbread was made and in the oven overnight so I could warm it for a while the next morning. We did in fact watch Lost later so we didn't lie to her. We just deceived her a tad bit for a couple of days :)
The next day, Memaw came over so that me and Allison could "take her out to lunch for her birthday." She saw the soup on the stove and I told her I was making John some soup since he was sick in bed (sick in bed-not a lie, but making it for him: well, he could eat the leftovers and that be true also!) She was NOT expecting what we had planned. We were waiting on Allison to call me when she got out of class. Really, she got out of class and then went to the store to get flowers and balloons for Memaw. I shut the blinds in my dining room so that she couldn't see cars pull up. But of course, Memaw being Memaw, she opened the blinds, RIGHT as cars were starting to arrive and she suspected something going on. She looked at me and said, "Y'all are up to something aren't you?" HEE HEE!!! We got you, Memaw! She saw that her sisters, Grace and Elizabeth, were here and figured out that they must be coming with us to lunch. She said, "Well, let's go ahead and eat then since you've got this soup made!"
Well, that left us with one more surprise that she hadn't figured out yet. Three of her other good friends, Nancy Morris, Martha Hill, and Melanie Young showed up with cards and flowers in hand! Bonnie began passing out smiley face stickers to everyone and the women wore them on their hands, shirts, or even face! It made Bonnie feel so special!
The menu: Chicken & Cheddar Corn Chowder, Red, White, and Blue Salad with a Sesame Poppyseed Venaigrette, Mexican Cornbread, Chocolate Pie, Sweet Tea and Coffee!
Ava played Memaw a special version of "Happy Birthday"!
We all had so much fun and I really enjoyed visiting with Memaw's sisters and friends. It really made me look forward to the days when my friends and I will still be having lunch together and laughing about what's going on in our lives. Nancy Morris helped me fix the coffee for everyone and she told me how all of the other ladies liked their coffee and it was so sweet how she just knew what they all would like without asking! It's such a small thing to notice but it was really precious how they all just knew each other so well from all the years past! I long for that in friendships!
Memaw's Sweet Sisters looking at a family photo together
Memaw, Grace, and Elizabeth
And last, but not least: Memaw's Sisters Laughing Hysterically as Ava ran up to the Fence and stood beside them and smiled and said "Cheese" as I was trying to take a picture of just Memaw, Grace, and Elizabeth!!
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