The Youngest to be Old

Well the birthday surprise was awesome. The little girls were so giggly over their father being surprised. They were all about how great they were on the secret thing, and they wanted to be a big part of decorating. They couldn't wait to see his face when he walked in. How cool is that? You get your kids to be on the same plane as you are for a very short time, and then they are gone. For Cassie and Mackenzie....they are so totally there for their Daddy, and also for their Mom . It is the perfect age for kids. They still like their parents, and want to be with them, but they are old enough to take care of themselves you know, take showers and dress and feed themselves. T here is a very small window of that time, that you actually connect, without friction. They totally adore you, and you adore them. You parents that have been there, you know what I mean. The ones that aren't there yet, I am sorry , that's the way it is. Years later, everything changes, cause they grow up ... you damaged them for life and they have been a disappointment.We are not perfect and have let them down, they come back and everything is way cool again. Yikes, it's a vicious cycle. Any who....
First off, John Edward was great , he did Frank. I swear the man is Frank Sinatra reincarnated. It would be nice if John could get some of Sinatra's money, whatever...he was good. Next the boys, Jerry, Griff and John, sang In My Life, by the Beatles , which was totally awesome. If that were not enough, they went into Wait, which is the next song on Rubber Soul, acapello.(I do not know how to spell that word , I hope I did it right). It was just a moment that I will never forget in my life. All three of my brothers singing and all eight of us being together with Rob. It just doesn't happen very often these days. It was way cool.
Then, to talk about the people there, I guess Rob ran into a couple of guys he coached baseball including Greg LoVaglio. How fun! Greg has been a part of our family forever. It was great having him there. He has been a good friend to Jerry and Caroline and all of us over the years. I didn't want the night to end. It did. We celebrated Jerry's birthday as it should be. With Lot's of family, with his closest friends, the love of his life and with MUSIC.
My brothers are very sweet men and I love them all. Jerry has a heart that is bigger than life and he wears it for all to see. He is the Word Man, if you need the words to any song , he's got them. But me, I need to feel the words of a song , he's the one who does that too.
We all danced to Sweet Caroline, which she totally is.

Sometimes Birthdays Don't Suck

Then and now! Happy BIG 5-0 Jerry. I haven't loaded the pictures yet, but I can not wait to talk about the big surprise party for Jerry. Caroline did a great job of planning this shin-dig. I can not believe she kept it a surprise. I was psycho over it. I didn't want to blow it. I can't keep a secret to save my life.

Mom and Dad were married in 1947.

A marriage I am sure that was made in heaven.

They were college students really,

They both served in the war.

Never knowing what would happen, and what was in store.

Not much later you see,

There soon would be three.

Baby JoEllen came along to bounce on Daddy's knee.

That was so much fun, thought my mother,

"Let's try for a son", and they had another.

Then along came Janet and Judy

And of course there was Griff.

Who wanted his G changed to a J

So that would make him Jiff.

The family was not done

In came the second platoon.

Jill, John , Jean and Jerry were all born very soon.

Happy Birthday to the baby of the Allen clan. I guess that makes us all pretty Damn old.