Last weekend we had the privilege of celebrating the birthday of a very special lady: my mother-in-law and the beloved grandmother of my children and their spouses (and not just my children as there are other grandchildren as well) and the most cherished great-grandmother of the youngest offspring (although the youngest grandchildren is only four months older than the eldest great-grandchild so you could be forgiven for being confused as to who belongs to which generation as I am when I catch myself referring to my niece's cousins as "Uncle#x rather than Cousin#x because she's the age of The Most Adorable Granddaughters - have I well and truly confused you now?).
Although not all the family were able to be present, I think she enjoyed what amounted to a surprise birthday dinner. Thinking she was just coming around to our place for afternoon tea (with no home baking since I was unprepared for this part of the surprise), the look on her face when her daughter and son-in-law from further afield walked in was priceless.
"I didn't know they were coming," she stated.
As more family members arrived she remained calm and serene, and I'm not even sure she realised that she was the centre of attention until we stuck a candle on the cake that had been placed in front of her (such is her modesty).
And while I know she's quite ready to meet the Lord and to see her beloved husband again (whom I suspect she still misses terribly) we're not yet ready to part with her and hope that she gets to see many more birthdays. Besides, she has told Sons#4 and #5 that she wants to see them married before she goes and neither seem to be in a hurry to find wives!
Happy Birthday to the Best Mother-In-Law anyone could ask for!
Although not all the family were able to be present, I think she enjoyed what amounted to a surprise birthday dinner. Thinking she was just coming around to our place for afternoon tea (with no home baking since I was unprepared for this part of the surprise), the look on her face when her daughter and son-in-law from further afield walked in was priceless.
"I didn't know they were coming," she stated.
As more family members arrived she remained calm and serene, and I'm not even sure she realised that she was the centre of attention until we stuck a candle on the cake that had been placed in front of her (such is her modesty).
And while I know she's quite ready to meet the Lord and to see her beloved husband again (whom I suspect she still misses terribly) we're not yet ready to part with her and hope that she gets to see many more birthdays. Besides, she has told Sons#4 and #5 that she wants to see them married before she goes and neither seem to be in a hurry to find wives!
Happy Birthday to the Best Mother-In-Law anyone could ask for!
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