Manon Turns 50!

A dear friend I met in our church life class recently turned 50.  Instead of letting us give gifts to her, she gifted her friends with the best birthday party I think I've ever attended.  The party had a 50s, 60s, 70s theme, and guests were asked to dress up in the style of one of those decades.  Since my husband and I were born in the 70s, that seemed the decade we should choose. I normally struggle with costumes as I'm not creative that way, but when my parents brought us some vintage pants they wore in the 70s, I was suddenly ALL ABOUT IT.  Many thanks to my parents for saving these clothes for over 40 years, so that we could thoroughly enjoy them that night.

I'm not sure if mustering up the courage to be my real crazy self came with age or from helping out at the Joy Proms. I think it was more the latter for the special needs community knows far better than most of us how to relish life, withOUT so much self-awareness/self-consciousness, and just be oneself - expressing some of the great joy within our hearts which cannot be contained. I cannot thank those fine folks enough for all they have taught me.

 

If I had a dollar for every stranger who came up to us at that awesome decades dress birthday party and took pictures just like this one, I could buy us some jewel studded vintage platform shoes to match our pants.

My husband was very tired at the party after camping out with our son and 46 other fathers/sons the night before, so I kept checking his mood ring so I would know when he was ready to leave.  Ha!  I loved mood rings back in the day.

Manon made much of the elaborate food which included:  Smoked Salmon Canapes • Sea Scallops wrapped with bacon • Teriyaki Chicken Kebobs • Grilled Cocktail Lamb Lollipops • Cheese Puffs • Shrimp Cocktail • Devil Eggs and more…The dessert buffet was filled with all sorts of her fabulous baked goodies she's made from scratch for us before for Life Class along with chocolate truffles and brownies that made my mouth water.  Best party food ever, and she labored over it all for us. She should start a party planning/catering business.

She set up this photo booth and all the signs, too. So clever!

 

The guy in the wig is from my hometown & attended our rival high school.

 

Her next door neighbors (to the left is our marriage pastor's wife)

Here's last photo post from the party to prove that growing older, wiser, more responsible, and stronger in the faith does not necessarily mean that all the youthful sillies, dancing shoes, disco grooves, and fun parties have to go away. In fact, they only get better...as does the food. Happy birthday to the most fun-loving, talented, energetic, generous, and youthful 50-year-old I know.