Did you change your shirt?

A few weeks ago, we were invited to our friend's house to celebrate a birthday dinner with them. Mark and Gary have a tendency to dress alike on Sunday mornings . . .and lo and behold, we showed up and Mark and Gary were dressed alike again!! At some point during the evening, Gary came out of their bedroom with a different shirt on . . .he said that he spilled something on it :-) Such good friends. This picture just makes me feel good!!
Gary and Dona's island in the kitchen is the perfect place for serving food. It was fun being there with all of their family and also a few other friends. We've been friends since maybe 2004 and we feel like family. Dona would not allow me to bring a single thing for dinner that night. They had barbecue and baked beans and potato salad. They made homemade fresh salsa and they had chips for dippin'. Jan (Dona's daughter) made tomato and cucumber salad . . .man, I love that stuff. Everything was delicious.

This was the main reason for the celebration. Dona's mother and Dona's daughter both have birthdays right together. This was a multi-generational party!! There were four generations of women from Dona's family there that night. I just can't imagine what it would be like to still have a momma and daddy. I just love being invited to celebrate with them . . .it gives me just a taste of what it would be like to have my parents still living. Momma died when I was a sophomore in high school . . .and I can't really remember celebrating any of her birthdays. I wonder if she had to bake her own cake. Daddy lived until I was 25 . . .and I'll have to think really hard to see if I can remember any of his celebrations. I have a vague memory floating around . . .seems like Glenine (my oldest sister) bought him a bright yellow grill one time. I don't remember my dad ever cooking anything on a grill . . .I'll have to ask my sisters. (Becky - are you reading?) Dona's little daddy is sitting between the two birthday girls. He is so cute. His picture was actually in a National Geographic Magazine during World War II (I think that is right). He and his twin (yes, more twins - we are surrounded by twins) brother both flew airplanes . . .One of Dona's parents doesn't see well and the other one doesn't hear well . . what a team!! Jan and her husband and kids had spent the day in their boat . . .and Jan is brown as a berry!!

It was a fun night filled with good conversation, lots of laughter and really good food. It sure is nice to be included as "family."