Four Generations Celebrate a Birthday

My maternal grandfather, aka Poppy, shares a birthday with my lovely hubby. The short story? A good time was had by all this weekend.

I know I've used that line more than once in the past, but this weekend was the real deal. It was four generations getting together to celebrate the 90th (YES 9-0) birthday of Poppy. He has four daughters (one being my amazing mother) who rarely have the chance to get together and simply 'hang out'. Our family is spread out along the East Coast, not making for an easy, quick weekend get-together. Thank you Aunt Jill & Uncle John for hosting this bonanza :)

My mother, stepfather and toothless twin nephews drove a whopping 1,600 miles between Friday and Sunday, making the trek from GA to PA. Aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters, brothers, nephews, nieces and girlfriends all came together for what really matters...family.

Kai and I have always had a strong sense of family since we met. We grew up so differently...country mouse v city mouse, my Brady Bunch-style large, blended family (and my mom's name is Carole!) to Kai's two child/two parent household...and the list goes on. The point is, your family is your family. Growing up, my close friends were even treated like family. My mom always made it clear her door was open, literally. Ours was the house with a constant flow of teenagers coming and going.

So the point of this, in addition to wishing a very Happy 90th to Poppy and a 3_ Bday to Kai is...anyone going through adoption realizes more & more, the value of family and friends. It's not something you focus on. It's something that will surface on its own at each stage of the process, shedding an interrogation-like light on the important people and relationships existing in your life.

Most of us live in a Tweeting, texting, Tivo'ing, take-out world that makes it too easy to put some things on the back burner. Adoption will shed a new light on the back burner and will make you realize what's really important in your oh-so-important and hectic life. One of these things is family; the ones who have always been there and will always be there...no matter where in the world they live.

Check out the coolest cake ever. My mom had this ordered for the music guru Mr. Kai, which we all devoured in the hotel room following the first round of festivities last night.

All the nephews. Hmmmm....call me crazy, but I think Theo may end up being a blonde.