Mom's 80th Birthday Party

On Monday, June 5, my beloved mother hit a milestone, turning 80 years old. (I think that fact makes both her and me as her second-oldest child feel old, but such is the passage of time. We're all trying to enjoy every day and roll with the many different things that each new day brings us.)

As a family, we gathered at one of our favorite restaurants—and site of no fewer than four family wedding dinners—Joy Luck. It was a surprise party for Mom, who was expecting dinner with only Steve and Summer and their kids. (No one let the cat out of the bag accidentally, so mission accomplished!)

The delicious Chinese food was plentiful, and it included Peking spare ribs, sweet and sour chicken, chicken lo mein, egg rolls, ham fried and white rice, and the like. We ate family style, because we are a family after all (29 people altogether, missing only one person who was home sick).

Mom's only wish for her birthday this year was to spend time with her kids and grandkids, so that is what we gave her. In return, she has given us so much more over the course of her 80+ decades of life.

June 5 is also our niece McKenna Kathleen's birthday, who's now 20 years old and finished with the terrible teens. So, we had a double birthday party all told.