Not much to talk about today. I've been a little under the weather so it's been pretty much work and home.

Monday is Terry's birthday. In honor of his birthday, enjoy this video. The old guy still has it.

Looks like I'm back to the boring life again. I really don't have anything to talk about. Just rambling a little.

There are changes happening in my family right now. Nothing bad but changes just the same. I'm not really ready to talk about them yet. I will when it's time.

I loved being a mom. It was something that I always felt I was meant to do. I'm not saying I was the perfect mother. In fact, I'm the first to admit that I have made a lot of mistakes. The one thing my children could never say was that I didn't love them.

I tried very hard to always be there for them whenever they needed me. I still try to be there but now they are adults and there is a line that you try very hard not to cross. No matter what I personally think, they have to make their own decisions. They also have to make their own mistakes. Just the way I did.

I remember when Patrick and I were starting out. It would make us so mad when either one of our parents would try to tell us how to do things. My mother (and mother-in-law) was very good about making those little comments about the proper way to raise children or keep a house. Sometimes our thinking was the same but sometimes it wasn't. It took a while for my mother to realize that there could be other ways of doing things than the way she and her mother had done them. Luckily, as I got older, we achieved that wonderful relationship of friendship. She was always there to give advice when I asked but kept most of her opinions to herself.

In my lifetime so much about raising children has changed. What you can and cannot do. Sometimes I marvel that mine ever made it to adulthood. But I must have done something right because they are both wonderful adults. I am not only proud to have them as children but I am proud to have them as friends.

As you can see, they have grown a little since these pictures were taken. They were cute kids though.

There are many reasons to have a blog. Deep thoughts, sharing fears and joys. So many reasons. But one of the biggest reasons could be to embarrass your daughter. Right?

So the other day we were cleaning out Missy's old room . I know it's been almost 11 years since she left home but she never really moved out. All that stuff in her room was a big indication of that.

It was so much fun going through all the stuff and remembering both the good and the bad. But then I look up and out comes my beautiful baby girl.

That's my girl. Minnie Mouse wedding ears and an old pair of glasses. That's my baby.

This has been a very strange time for me. My life is usually so boring. I mean really really boring. The get up go to work, come home and go to bed boring. But for some reason that hasn't been the case and I'm loving it.

Last Saturday Terry's mother, sister, niece, Missy and I all went to the movie. I have to tell you that if you are looking for a feel good chick flick, then you have got to see Mama Mia. It was great. We had four completely different women watching this show and we all loved it. I love going to Alamo Drafthouse to see a movie. You can sit there in comfort while you eat your pizza and then have a nice big piece of chocolate cake with ice cream and never miss a thing on the screen. Pure decadence.


Then Monday night was Kathy's birthday. That meant dinner out with the family. Oh what fun. We went out for seafood. Yummy. The crab legs were great. The only problem was terrible service. The only good thing about bad service is that you get to spend more time visiting with everyone. I hope Kathy had a great birthday. Next one up is Terry.

Humans and animals have a lot in common. You have children, you raise them and then they go out on their own.

For the last few weeks I have been watching the house sparrows as they built their nest on my front porch. We watched the mommy and daddy gradually build the nest to where it was strong and safe. Since it was inside the eave, it was safe from the wind and rain. Though in Austin right now that was not an issue since we are in a drought.

If you look closely you can see two baby birds sticking their heads out of the nest.













This is them a week later. Boy those parents really had to work to keep them fed and growing like that.










Over the weekend, the babies grew up and left the nest. It was time for the kids to leave home to start their own life.

I will miss them. Think they will write?

Okay, so yesterday I told everyone about the wonderful party my children threw for me. Now I think you should see what Sunday brought.




Terry was helping a friend move so he didn't get his nap until we were doing our weekly grocery shopping. Now you have to remember that everyone was sleeping so no one got a picture of the old lady sawing logs on the other sofa.

I thought I had a fantastic birthday on Wednesday. It was all I had hoped for. Apparently my children had another idea. I have to tell you, I had no idea turning 60 could be so much fun.

Saturday night I was scheduled to babysit. Missy got a text while at my house and told me that the couple they were going out with had cancelled on them. She was so disappointed because she was so looking forward to dressing up and going out. A little later she asked if I would be willing to go with the three of them for a nice family dinner. Since all I had planned was to have Serif I said sure. So I went in and got dressed. We asked Terry to pick a nice Mexican Restaurant and he went to the computer to find one. He told us that he found one off 620 where he and Patrick would eat while working in the field. Sounded good so we said go for it. Driving to the restaurant, we got to the turn off for the Oasis, a beautiful restaurant on Lake Travis, and decided to see if they would be too crowded to eat there. We were being spontaneous. Right?

The place was really crowded. I was surprised when we got out of the car and ran into Terry's sister in the parking lot. She let it slip that this had been planned and that there was a party for me. I thought another nice family dinner but I had no idea what was waiting for me. We go up these stairs and E and C are there taking my picture. I was so surprised when I walked into a room of people with a slide show in the background of all these pictures of me as a baby all the way up to present. I can tell you that it was a total surprise. Boy I had no idea Missy was so sneaky.

I have never had a surprise party before. I was in a state of shock the whole time. I can't believe my sweet baby girl did all this. There was lots of food, friends and laughter. There was also a balconey to enjoy the view of Lake Travis. Enjoy some of the hundreds of pictures taken that evening.

This is my beautiful E. Sometimes you can pick your family.

There was lots of love and laughter in the room that night

The whole family. Tom provided the most delicious cake. I'm still enjoying it.

I can't believe they did all this for me.

I am truly the luckiest mother in the whole world.

I will leave you with the beautiful sunset we were able to enjoy from the balconey on my special night.

I survived my 60th birthday! I can't tell you what a wonderful day it was. I have to admit that if yesterday was any indication of what lies ahead, then the 60's are going to be fabulous.

First I was awakened by a phone call from my two girls singing happy birthday to me. What a wonderful way to wake up. Then Missy and I met E at Starbucks to visit a little before going to Alamo Drafthouse to have lunch and watch a movie. It was so sweet of both Missy and E to take the day off to spend it with me. They both made me feel special through out the day.

After the movie, Missy and I killed some time shopping. We do that so well and then headed off to get Serif. Missy had made cupcakes and sent them to school for the kids to enjoy my birthday. So when I walked in all these little 3 year olds sang happy birthday to me. It was great.

I had hoped that we could go to a park but it was just too hot. This Texas weather has been record breaking heat this year. So we went home so Serif could see what we bought her. (I said we went shopping didn't I?)

Before we knew it, it was time to meet everyone at Outback for a yummy dinner. I can't put into words how wonderful it was to sit at that table surrounded by my friends and family. Both of my children, Tom and Missy, my wonderful son-in-law Terry, my precious grandbaby, my special rent-a-daughter E, my friend K who also happens to be Terry's mother and my dear friend N. It was all so very special and I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate my special day. Thank you all for being there.

That night as I lay in bed, I couldn't help but think about what a very blessed person I am. I am surrounded by loving family and wonderful friends. I am truly loved.

Thank you Missy for making my 60th birthday such a special day. You are, and will always be, my special baby girl.

A true friend is one of the most precious things in the world. I have such a friend in N. She is wonderful and has been a true and faithful friend for the 35 years. I love talking to her. She always make me laugh. No matter how I'm feeling she's always there to help.

I met N right after Patrick and I got married. Actually I met O, N's husband, when he stopped by our duplex right after we got married. He was so excited about Patrick's new wife that he showed up the next weekend with his wife and baby in tow. N and I connected the first time we met and it's been a wonderful friendship since then.

N and I have been through a lot in our years as friends. We were busy being wives and mothers. We could go for months without talking and then get on the phone and all that time would just melt away.

Don't you just love this picture of our kids so very long ago?

Nancy was left a young widow with two little boys. That was a hard time for her but she amazed me with her strength and ability to handle everything. We continued to talk on the phone through those years. It was hard because Patrick and I were so busy with the company and raising our family. But N and I managed to stay in touch.

N was right there for me when Patrick died. I don't think I could have made it through that time without her. She helped give me the strength I needed to face what was ahead of me.

N's birthday is two days before mine. She is a year younger than me so she turned 59 yesterday. I called her last night and, as usual, spent over an hour talking about our wonderful grandchildren and all the blessings we have.

Even after all we have gone through we can still get on the phone and giggle like school girls. It's so nice to know that no matter how long it's been, I can always pick up the phone and hear her wonderful laugh on the other end.

Thank you N for being such a wonderful friend and Happy Birthday. I love you.