Retirement Surprises!

We had a retirement open house for my Mom over Memorial Day

at a coffee shop in the town I grew up in.

"We," I mean. My brother Tim and his wife Melissa did all the work.

My aunts and uncles came. It was great to catch up and see them again!

It was also fun for me to see old friends and teachers..even an old

principal from grade school!

But of course we made it a surpise for Mom! Telling her would

be so.....BORING!

Here's my sister Sarah (on the right), my niece (middle) and my

sister-in-law's mother (left- who also put in a lot of work)

as we WAITED for her to come around the corner! She didn't know

we were there!

Here's Lily and Katie as we waited for Grandma Marsha!

And here she is when she saw us!

We're not exactly sure what she was really thinking, but let's just

assume those are tears of joy...yeah we'll go with that!

Here she is thinking about all the lies we told her to

make this happen. Lying is wrong. Except for surprises.

I think.

I cherished watching my Mom have fun and celebrate. That's my brother
Tim standing behind her on the chair. He's not much of one

to have his picture taken...this will have to do. He and his wife

Melissa, as I said earlier, set this whole thing up and did all of the work.

Not to mention they fed all of us at their house Friday night and Sat. morning while

we were "in hiding."I wish I had a picture of Melissa, but I don't have a good shot.

Just trust me, she's beautiful. Here's their daughter:

This is my other brother Jess, chatting it up with Mr. Kerkhover,

my former (I shall stop saying "old," I think) Social Studies,

Geography, U.S. History and World History teacher. We REALLY

missed Jess's wife Sarah Beth and their four adorable kids back

home in Georgia!

This is my baby sister Alyse with Katie. Freakin' me out how

grown-up my daughter is looking. We are leaving the braces

on FOREVER!!!!

STOP GROWING UP!!!!

Stop it!

Half of the food table. We enjoyed that too!


Katie and the Strawberries. Shortly after this, Katie ATE

all the strawberries. All of them. Look at her face. She was

planning on scarfing them right as I took this. That's why

she was there! Sorry everyone who wanted strawberries.

Back at the house afterwards.

I am not as fat as I look here.

Great time.

Happy Retirement Mom!!!

And thanks to all who came!