Happy Birthday Grandma Sally!

Saturday night I headed south to my hometown of Olympia. Not a prime choice of location for typical Saturday night activities, but this was a special occasion; my Grandma Sally’s 80th birthday celebration.

My grandma and granddad raised a huge Irish Catholic family of 15 children, 12 of who gathered at their church in Olympia on Saturday evening, along with about 25 of my cousins. Grandma Sally received a special blessing from the priest, and I think it meant a lot to her that so many of us were there in her church. Afterward we all gathered for dinner at a local restaurant, where we had reserved a banquet room.

The party was fabulous and everyone had a great time with lots of beer and pizza. Now I don’t know about you, but I think turning 80 years old is a pretty big accomplishment, which should be celebrated to the fullest extent. However, some family members were conspicuously absent from the party, and I think Grandma noticed. I was disappointed that not everyone else understood the significance of this special day, and did not make the effort to be there. But that’s just a little venting on my part; the actions of others are really none of my business.

I have to admit that I have been feeling more and more sentimental about family throughout the past few years. I see people getting older and lifestyles changing, and I want to make the most of the time that I have available with my family. I feel really good that I made the effort to spend a Saturday night with my grandma this weekend, even though I had to put my own life aside for a while. Luckily, all my friends understood.

I had a fantastic fun-filled evening with my absolutely huge extended family. My grandma’s face glowed with excitement and pride, and I’m so happy I was there to see it. I can only hope that someday I will accomplish as much as she has done in her lifetime. She has a million reasons to be proud of the 80 years she’s walked the earth, and I hope she knows how much she is loved and appreciated.

I love you Grandma Sally!