It's finished.The party is over. We pulled it off. And from what I could tell, most everyone had a wonderful time.
Exhaustion hit us for a few days after it was over, that and a whole lot of clean up. Just last night I took down the backyard "Happy lights" from the trees and patio. Everyone has moved on, me included, but only now am I able to sit down and finish it here, too.
My folks were very happy, in spite of all my father's efforts to discourage us from "doing anything" for them. They had a great time, and were especially touched that their Maid of Honor and Best Man came from several states away just to be here and congratulate them. Mom was stunned as she walked in. People were crying as she recognized faces of old friends. My dad was flabbergasted. Though they knew there was to be a party, they did not know it meant that much to anyone, but them. Now, plans are in the works for Mom and Dad to meet up with some friends in Vegas, and to attend others’ anniversary parties. My dad seems somewhat renewed by the event. My mom whispers to me, “Your dad was so happy. We’ve talked about it for days.” It meant a lot to them.
It meant a lot to me. I feel somewhat selfish that I enjoyed it to the degree that I did. All the planning, preparing and effort -- along with my daughter, Jon and my grandmother – it was exciting. We looked forward to the event and were delighted it went as planned. It fed us. Even my brother, enjoyed it (though he thought he would not). He gave a lovely toast to my folks, played with his nieces and nephews and at the party, re-visited with an old friend he had not seen in years.
It was good. It was a fun, joyous, non-traditional, un-stuffy celebration of life worth living.
Bonus: I have leftover frozen Margarita buckets in my freezer. Old folks don’t drink as much as they did when they were young.
