Celebrating Twenty Five Years

Where shall I begin? Words seem inadequate in this case. I mean, how do I express through words the extreme love and pride I felt for my children this past Sunday afternoon? Perhaps photos will better convey my feelings. Yet even the best photo, I fear, would fail to illustrate the feeling behind the happy tears I shed when I walked in our door and realized what the four precious souls Steve and I brought into this world did for us. Here. Let me show you...

Here is the Snapchat I took as Steve and I set out to visit his Mum in her nursing home and grab some lunch Sunday afternoon.  I called the kids a few times throughout the afternoon, and was told they had macaroni and cheese for lunch and were playing a game of Trivial Pursuit.

Fast forward a few hours, and here we are returning home.

To a surprise, beautiful, intimate Twenty-fifth Anniversary Dinner planned, prepared and hosted by my four amazing children. With one Danish boyfriend lending a hand.

I was totally surprised.

And overwhelmed.

And proud.

As was Steve, who is holding a loaf of bread which the kids asked us to pick up for the grilled cheese sandwiches were we supposedly having for dinner. : )

It was amazing.

My children know me well.

They know I don't feel comfortable with a fuss being made over me.

They know my love of home and family.

We celebrated with our family and my dear mother, sister Margie, and her husband Chris.

Perfect.

Look.

Look what they did.

For their father and me.

All on their own.

And the cake?

You guessed it.

Peyton made it.

And Madison helped her decorate it.

They decorated it to resemble our own wedding cake.

And it did.

And it was delicious.

We cut it together, just as we did twenty five years ago.

Everything was beautiful...

We drank this...no one cares for champagne in this house...

and dined on delicious Baked Ziti, Garlic Toast and Tossed Salad.

Made by Peyton. : )

Then we opened our present.

They presented us with the most beautiful engraved silver platter.

And Kathleen...they specifically referenced The Brady Bunch episode for the idea!

After that we had cake.

And it was honestly better than any wedding cake I have ever had.

Honestly.

It was the most special afternoon I can imagine.

To see what our children accomplished for us.

To think these are the little souls we brought home from the hospital and celebrated with so much joy.

Now...on this day...they celebrated us.

It was perfect.

My family, my sister and her husband, my dearest mother.

My heart sighed for a moment missing my dad.

But somehow, I felt he was there.

Just as he was twenty five years ago.

And I know he is as happy and grateful as we are that through those twenty five years, the two of us became this...

The six of us.

Plus two dogs.

And a boyfriend named Nicolas.

Thank you, my children.

Thank you Madison for thinking of this, and for organizing it and for ordering and purchasing everything. And for helping Peyton with the cake.

Thank you Peyton for preparing the delicious meal and baking that amazing cake. And for helping Flynn get dressed and ready. Exactly as I would have.

Thank you Rhett for doing everything the girls asked you to do. For getting the drinks ready and emptying the trash. And for always going along with whatever idea the girls dream up.

And thank you Flynn. Thank you for being such a good helper. And for being such a grown young lady at our surprise dinner. And for helping set the table.

Thank you my children.

For one of the happiest days of my life. : )