What did I ever do to deserve such a great family

Yesterday was my seventieth birthday. I'm old and pretty decrepit but thats not the reason for writing this.
For the last several weeks I have had a gut feeling that something was going on which I was not privy too. When the Ames,or Carlala came over and I was out of the room or as they were leaving and MGJ was walking them out their voice levels would drop to a whisper and there would be whispered discussions and when I would ask what was going on I would be told in no uncertain terms that "it is none of your business so butt out". I was of course terribly hurt but I didn't ever insist on being informed as is my right as husband, dad and patriarch (I'm the patriarch because I'm older than dirt). To make a long story short I began to suspect that something nefarious was being planned for my 70th. I had a feeling it might be something like my darling kidlets did on my 60th birthday,but I held my tongue. Days and weeks passed and sure as night turns to day I was invited to Elmers, one of my favorite restaurants and as I wheeled in there was all the people I love, with a few exceptions which I'll address later, all waiting for me. The room was decked out in balloons and there was a gorgeous cake and a stack of birthday cards and gobs of smiling faces. There was (in no particular order other than maybe generational) my darling wife of 52 years and mother of the flock MGJ, my fantastic daughters Carla and Amy and their two hubbys and my favorite son-in-laws Kevin the magnificent and the big Randoon, my very handsome son Todd (takes after his dad) and my favorite daughter in law Martha AKA FDIL,my favorite brother-in -law Richard (even though he's retired Coast Guard I've always tried to never hold that against him) and his ever suffering yet always gracious wife Sue, my lovable oldest grandaughter Lauren , my sweet grandaughter Lacey and her fabulous hubby Kelby AKA Kermit,my beautiful great granddaughter Tabitha, my gorgeous great grandaughter Natty, and my two marvelously handsome great grandsons Jordan and Jayden.



Missing from this great group of loved ones were Grandson Josh my hero in the Army and soon to be deploying to Iraq for the second time and his ravishing fiancee Stephanie also deploying to Iraq both of whom are in Germany,my second oldest grandaughter the beautiful Chelsea and her handsome and debonnaire hubby Jeff, both in snowy Colorado. Laurens one and only the dashing Brett who unfortunately had to work, and my third oldest grandaughter Shannon and her soon to be Coast Guard flyguy Tommy, and my great grandson the handsome devil- may- care Jace, in sunny Florida my wonderful Russian linguist grandson and sailor (like his grandpa) James and his loving and ever patient wife Leanna and my two fabulous great grandsons Adam and Kevin, in sunny California. Last but not least are my youngest grandchildren the gorgeous Sara, future tennis star and the dashing Matt future sailor like his Grandpa. Also I don't want to fail to mention my two grandson "Buns" that are still being baked (Leanna and Lacey) I'm sure they'll pop out perfectly done and fabulously beautiful.



So my typing finger got tired on the 9th and its now the 11th at 21:20. For you Army ,Coasties and Air Force types Mickeys short hand is on the 9 and his long hand is on the 4 and its dark out....but I digress... back to the birthday dinner. The dinner went smashingly and I enjoyed all the great cards and seeing and talking to all my loved ones,eating the cake and thoroughly enjoying the great company.


My personal Nurse Practitioner and fabulous daughter Carla presented me with an absolutely beautiful handmade quilt which I know she worked many many hours on and was one of the most thoughtful and nicest presents I have ever received. You've got to see it to believe it. It's all about My Navy career and has pics of me as a whitehat and Warrant Officer and of the Yorktown and the Kitty Hawk, the two carriers I made my three Westpac cruises on , copies of recruiting posters etc. etc. and even genuine dress blue cuff mermaids which all truly salty sailors wore on liberty (me included). I'll try to get pics of the quilt and the party on as soon as I can figure out how to do it. But believe me when I say it was very much appreciated and will always be cherished. I also want to thank my sailor grandson James for providing technical advice and nautical type suggestions to his Mom. AND DIGRESSSING A LITTLE I WAS INFORMED TODAY THAT JAMES HAD PASSED HIS WRITTEN EXAM FOR CHIEF PETTY OFFICER, THE FIRST STEP THAT MUST BE DONE BEFORE HE CAN BE CONSIDERED FOR PROMOTION....SO A BIG CONGRATULATIONS AND HEARTY PAT ON THE BACK GRANDSON. WE'RE VERY PROUD OF YOU AND WE'LL KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED THAT YOU GET SELECTED!!!!


I also want to thank my wonderful daughter Ames for organizing, planning and arranging the entire party. Amy is always the one who steps up and takes charge and reponsibility to get things organized and done. She and Randy are one of the primary reasons the family is so close
with their hosting of the family dinners, their generosity and their willingness to share all they have.



No one has EVER had a better 70th birthday than I had and I am always truly in awe when I see all of you together. Amy talks in her blog about being blessed and I believe I am doubly blessed by the love and the existance of all of my family. MGJ and I are very proud of all of you. Thanks for just being you and being my family. Love, Dad,Grandpa,Papa JAKE, Carl