Summer Mini-Vacation 2018 - South Carolina

Relationship: My grandmother's sister's daughter and her children (Joyce, Jason, Mandy)

The party was a surprise for Joyce's 70th. Jason's wife's parents opened their new home to hold the celebration for sixteen family members. On the morning of the party, Mandy gave us the timetable and rundown that included picking up balloons and decorations. I asked about the cake and discovered that the birthday cake of choice would be a loaf sized pound cake that had been the topic of discussion and examination from the night before. One that included concern regarding the drizzle and burnt edges. What? Not in my world. I added a trip to Publix for a birthday cake to the list of travel plans.

We had the house decorated in record time, and then because we had like two hours to kill, we started drinking early--homemade mojitos. And we practiced our musical skills, which in this family, is many.

Joyce arrived. We hid. Darcy and I hid in the downstairs closet, and the rest hid upstairs where they could look down from the cutout into the living room. We yelled for everyone to get into their places, and we scattered like insects at a picnic. Darcy and I jumped into the closet, and then Darcy was screaming, pushing me out of the closet. Spiders. I killed relocated them, and we went back in. From our hiding spot, we could hear the others arguing above us. Who was going where? Who was going to jump out first? Who was yelling what? I figured the surprise was doomed.

But we got her. She was overwhelmed. Maybe a tad confused, especially when Darcy got closer. Joyce saw her, recognized her, knew she was in FL, wondered who could look so much like her, and then spotted me. She got teary. Or maybe she was already that way. But we surprised her. I think.

We had great Asian food cooked right there in the house. We sat around and told Joyce stories and memories. We laughed. A lot. We cut and ate the cake.

I'm so glad I was remembered at the last minute and so thankful that I could up and leave at the last minute. As I age, family and friends and get-togethers are so meaningful. I try to soak it all in each time. I feel weepy and full of love and the feelings mingle and mix and I'm more grateful for all of it.

Happy Birthday, Cousin Joyce. So glad you are in my life. So grateful for the hospitality thrown at you, and blessed beyond belief for the time we spent all of us together.