80 YEARS

This past weekend my family (minus my dad who was on a golf trip!) and I went on another road trip! This time, we went to my parent's hometown to celebrate my grandmother's 80th birthday! Her official birthday was Saturday, which made it a perfect day for the party! Kristin and I arrived at 10:00am to help my cousin and aunt with the decorating. We were done by 2:00pm and had just enough time to get all dressed up and head to the restaurant.

Attending the party were my grandmother, her four children, their spouses, 9 of the 11 grandchildren and 3 of the 7 great-grandchildren! Not to mention my grandmother's sister, brother and their significant others! After a extremely delicious dinner (thai chicken wrap anyone?), we ignored the down pour of rain and drove back to my uncle's house for cake and gifts. It was there that we were able to enjoy the closeness of our family and laughter that often seems to find us. We had a beautiful cake, many lovely gifts (including a scrapbook from the grandchildren) and my cousin, Trent, even took the time to make us pink cotton candy! Needless to say, my grandmother was thrilled to have such an extravagant party thrown for her.

It was the next day as I sat with my mother, aunt and grandmother (eating cookies that I stole from her freezer) that I realized how much you can accomplish in 80 years. Not only is my grandmother one of the most beautiful women I have ever known, but she has such a loving, kind and gentle heart. Without her in my life I know I would not be who I am today.

Without a doubt, my grandmother deserves to be celebrated. It was a blast to watch her wear a crown and be called "Queen Ann", but it is the family she and my grandfather have created and the love they have shared in the past 80 years that matters the most.

The weekend was filled with family, food and so much fun, but as we all said farewell the tears began to flow. Not only is it one of the last parties I will attend for a while, but it was also the last time I would see my oldest sister, Sarah, until Christmas. At the end of the month, she is moving to Calgary and that day marked the beginning of all the goodbyes. It was so hard to know that she would be so far away, but as us sisters do, we laughed it off. We know that we will miss her terribly, but that Christmas will come so soon and we will be together again!

It was a busy weekend, but one we won't soon forget! On Monday it was back to life and while it seems normal, things are slowly beginning to change.