Nana's 90th Birthday Party!

Nana's birthday was September 15th and this year she turned 90!  On Saturday September 14th we had a celebration for Nana. Nana is definitely not a party girl. Sharon and I were planning to have a big meal and cake and lots of people in the St. John's Church basement.  Even before Nana got sick in June, she nixed that idea as being "too much hoopla." For Nana, hoopla is a bad thing.  When I suggested we do an Open House event in the Community Room at Houston Ridge Apartments, she was OK with that.  Even when she was in Muncy Skilled Nursing Unit for so many weeks, we talked about this party.  Turning 90 is a big milestone and we promised her the party was still on.  When we found out the end of August that Nana was coming home on September 3rd, Sharon and Lori and I went into action.

With no time for formal invitations, Lori announced the event on Facebook, while Sharon and I and the rest of the family spread the word to invite everyone - family and friends and her fellow apartment residents.  Sharon decided we needed a light lunch and took on the work of BBQ and beans and a meat tray.  Alicia, Jeff's friend, made some delicious meatballs.  Wayne and Bill donated food and drink and Jan made her famous chocolate chip cookies.  The centerpiece was the cake.  Sharon had the idea to put Nana's picture on the cake.  I'll admit I was skeptical, but I cropped a good pic of Nana from Mother's Day and shot it to Sharon in an email.  Along with the blue frosting flowers that signified Nana's favorite Texas BlueBonnets, Nana's smiling picture was the centerpiece on the cake.  The only downside was no one wanted to eat the picture!

When it was time to cut the cake, Lori's husband Nate reminded us to sing "Happy Birthday" before we wielded the knife.  The two candles of a 9 and 0 were just for show - Nana didn't want to blow out candles.  The cake was delicious with a choice of white or chocolate. It was hard for me to choose, but when I asked Sid, Lori's 2 year old what flavor of cake he wanted, he didn't hesitate.  "I want blue," he said.  No indecision on his part.

 Nana's Cake

When we planned the party, we presented it as an Open House so people could stop in and stay a while and leave if they needed to go.  What happened was that almost everyone stayed for several hours.  We had about 45 people in a room that holds 30, but no one seemed to mind.  It was a fun hub of friends and Nana's four children and her grandchildren and great grandchildren.  At first, Nana seemed somewhat overwhelmed and I thought she might grab her walker and head for her apartment before the first half hour elapsed.  But after a while, I could tell she was enjoying the company and soaking up the love for her that swirled in the room.

 Nana and her four children - Wayne, Diane Bill, and Sharon

Nana was grateful for all the gifts she received for her birthday.  Her neighbor Chuck gave her a beautiful Indian blanket that adorns her chair.  Her hairdresser Bonnie gave her a free wash and set.  Gift cards and cash and other useful items abounded for her.  After the party, we took on the task to thank everyone as best we could.  Handwriting is difficult for Nana with the arthritis in her hands so we didn't want to burden her.  If you're reading this and didn't receive a thank you, please know that everyone and everything about Nana's special day was appreciated.  If you sent a card, wished her a Happy Birthday, stopped to see her even if you couldn't attend the party, or were just with us in spirit as we celebrated, thank you.

Nana with Diane and Sharon and her 90th Birthday Cake