WHAT A PARTY!

BOBBIE JO'S BIRTHDAY WAS SO MUCH FUN AND MUCH MORE THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. SO MANY LOVING FRIENDS AND FAMILY CAME! LYNN HAMILTON EVEN DROVE ALL THE WAY FROM AUSTIN TO BE WITH US, (240 MILES!) AND HAD TO GO RIGHT BACK AGAIN. DAD MADE A FABULOUS BRISKET, AND CHOPPED IT UP SO THAT THERE WOULD BE ENOUGHT FOR EVERYONE, AS USUAL, THERE ALMOST WAS NOT, EVEN THE HOSPITAL STAFF JOINED US! BOBBIE JO'S ROOM WAS BURSTING WITH BEAUTIFUL BALLOONS, SO MANY OF EVERY COLOR. THERE WERE SO MANY LOVELY CARDS AND GIFTS- THE WINDOWWAS OVERFLOWING WITH THEM. BIG J AND LYDIA CAME, MY BROTHER KEN AND HIS SWEET WIFE JOEY, THE GALLAGER FAMILY, THE HAMILTONS, ALICE DAVIS, OWEN, MARIE, KAYLEE AND JAYBIRD CAME TOO. THERE WERE DARRYL AND TANYA MC CUTCHEON, AND OWENS FAMILY- SHIRLEY, HER DAUGHTER AMY AND HUSBAND JAMES, AND THEIR CHILDREN, (THEY BROUGHT A HUGE COOLER OF DRINKS FOR US) BECKY AND HER FRIENDS SANDY, LISA AND BRENDA WITH DAUGHTER CARMEN. BRENDA'S MOM CANDELARIA MADE HER FAMOUS BEANS AND RICE, (OF WHICH I AM ENJOYING RIGHT NOW!).ASHLEY, TODD, MCLAINE AND THE TWINS CAME, BRINGING THE BEST CUPCAKES, ALONG WITH OUR DEAR BISHOP AND HIS WIFE JOSIE. SISSY, ROBBY, ELI AND JACOB CAME AND RESCUED THE PARTY BY BRINGING TWO CAKES, (DAD OFRGOT AND LEFT THE ONE THAT KENNY AND JOEY MADE AT HOME) THE MOST WONDERFUL SURPRISE WAS THAT BOBBIE'S MARTIN'S FAMILY CAME TO BE WI TH US. HIS DEAR MOTHER ROSE, WITH SISTERS LINDA AND JANINE. LAURALYN OYLER AND HER SWEET DAUGHTER CAME AND BROUGHT COOKIES THAT BARELY MADE IT THROUGH THE FIRST 10 MINUTES OF THE PARTY. ANOTHER DEAR FRIEND, DEBBIE MARKOVIC H CAME EARLIER, AND WE ENJOYED HER COMPANY. THE HOSPITAL STAFF ENJOYED THE FOOD AND EVEN SOME OF THE OTHER PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE HAD BRISKET SANDWICHES, CHIPS, 3 KINDS OF CUPCAKES, A STRAWBERRY CAKE, A LARGE CHOCOLATE CAKE, LARALYN'S COOKIES, RICE AND BEANS AND A WONDERFUL PASTA DISH MADE BY JESSICA. BOY THE LITTLE ONE'S WERE REALLY GOING AT IT! THEY HAVE A WONDERFUL CHILDRENS CENTER AT THE HOSPITAL, AND THE KIDS PLAYED BASKETBALL AND OTHER GAMES. THE GROWN-UPS TALKED AND LAUGHED AND VISITED, AND A FEW AT A TIME WENT TO BOBBIE JO'S ROOM AFTER SHE GOT SO TIRED TO VISIT WITH HER. AT THE START OF THE PARTY, WE WHEELED HER INTO THE ROOM AND EVERYONE APPLAUDED FOR HER. THEN, WE EACH INTRODUCED OURSELVES AND HOW WE KNEW BOBBIE JO. BY NOW, EVERYONE WAS EYEING THE BRISKET, SO WE BEGAN TO SERVE. OH, EVERYTHING WAS WONDERFUL. I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE LOVE IN OUR LIVES, AND I HOPE I DID NOT FORGET ANYONE THAT WAS THERE. EVERYONE IS SO IMPORTANT TO BOBBIE JO AND HER FIGHT TO GET WELL. SHE TRULY KNOWS THAT SHE IS LOVED. TOMORROW WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A FAST AT CHURCH FOR HER AND FOR OUR FAMILY. I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THAT AND HOPE I DESERVE EVERYONE'S LOVE THAT IS SO FREELY GIVEN. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO CAME AND WHO WANTED TO BE THERE. IT WAS INDEED A WONDERFUL NIGHT THAT NONE OF US WILL FORGET. LOVE, NANA