Turning Seventy

 

                             Oh my, where did the years go? On July 8th, I had my 70th birthday and it seems like just yesterday, almost fifty years ago, that I was getting married. As I look back it seems like the years flew by. We have raised eight children in three different houses. We have fourteen grandkids, one great-grandchild, and are expecting two more grandkids. So I feel like my life has been productive and, although there are some things I would change if I could, I am mostly pleased with the way things have turned out.

 

                             Our kids gave their Dad a surprise party when he turned seventy years old two years ago. I told my daughter Katherine, who lives the closest to me, that they better not give me a party when I turned seventy and she assured me that they wouldn't. They know that I am sort of anti-social and don't like being the center of attention. So she and Susan, another daughter, and my granddaughter Mylah, took me to La Finca for a quiet dinner and that was good and I thought that was it. Little did I know that they were planning a big party in Dallas for me. Of course, they let Jerry in on it. We were going to Dallas, which is a two hour drive for us, for our grandson Daniel's first birthday party on a Saturday. So Jerry says "let's go on Friday and spend the night in a hotel instead of rushing on Saturday morning".  So I said okay. So our daughter Rita and Katherine, who had already gone to Dallas, called and said "why don't we meet at the Spaghetti Factory restaurant and have dinner on Friday night" and we said okay. Well, when we got there, Katherine came out to show us which room we were going to eat in. When we walked into the room it was to a room full of people and an Elvis Impersonator singing to me. I was totally shocked and surprised. I looked around and there was my son Sid and my daughter Marjorie from New Mexico, Angie and her baby from Hondo, Luanne and her family from Rockwall, Vicki and her family from Mt. Enterprise, Susan and her husband Pap from Marshall, as well as Katherine and Rita and their families. Also Jerry's sister Nelwyn and two of her kids and families. Elvis sang to us for about an hour and I even sang with him, which surprised me and everybody else, and after he left we had a good meal and visited. Vicki had put together a slide show of my life and it was great. All the kids had a part in planning the party and it was just great. I really enjoyed it and am thankful to them for caring about me enough to do this. Katherine did the decorations which is what she does for a living and they were wonderful. I have always loved Elvis so the Elvis Impersonator was icing on the cake. But the best thing was having all my family there except for two grandsons who could not come. The fact that Sid and Marge came all the way from New Mexico was very touching.

 

                       The next day we got to go to Rita's house for Daniel's party. It was fun hanging out with everyone again and eating lots of good food there. Family is wonderful and I feel sad for those who don't have anyone to care about them. I made mistakes raising my kids but they all know that I loved them then and love them now. And I hope and think they love me too. God is great and I am so blessed!



My Mother's Beauty Secrets

My Mother turned 70 yesterday, but seriously she does not look much older than 50 years of age! She has had eight children, and some of these kiddos did their best to age her with all their crazy running wild antics! I won't say who out of the eight these happen to be. :)

She did not age on the outside, although on the inside I am sure she was beside herself most of the time with worry and grief! But enough of that. Lets talk about her beauty secrets. Ever since I can remember people have commented on how nice and un-wrinkled her skin is. Even now at seventy she may have some small wrinkles, but really hardly any!

Every morning and again at night before bedtime she would apply to her face Oil of Olay. I don't think she ever skipped a day. As I got older I asked her several times why she didn't switch to a more expensive "better" skin care product, but I always got the same answer. That answer was that Oil of Olay was just fine with her. No other explanation needed! She also stayed out of the sun pretty much her whole life, meaning she was not one to sunbathe or sit in the sun unless necessary for some task. When she worked outside doing yard work she wore a brimmed hat and long sleeves. If you asked her how she has maintained her smooth complexion she will tell you these two things. Oil of Olay and stay out of the sun. I have heard her say this many times over the years.

Pretty simple, huh? From looking at her you would think she has used all kinds of numerous beauty products!

One more thing I have to tell. There have been several times my parents have been out together when someone such as a waitress has thought Mom was my Dads daughter! My Mother gets a kick out of that!