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Kate's Big Weekend



This weekend was one big celebration for two occasions relating to Kate.  One was her 30th birthday.  The other was very good news concerning a very scary medical situation.  

I’ll leave it to Kate to provide details about that if she wishes; I’ll say there were lots of tears, and prayers, and sleepless nights leading up to a revelation Thursday morning that the indicators that had precipitated the fears amounted to a false alarm.  So the celebration of Kate’s birthday was a release of a great deal of stress and worry, and we all partied accordingly late into the night and into the early hours of Sunday (apologies to our neighbors; the weather was beautiful and we were out on the deck till about one a.m.).

Friday afternoon our daughter Eileen and Donna cooked and Saturday we decorated and prepared for a surprise party at our house.  Eileen kept Kate occupied by going for pedicures and drinks while about 30 of Kate’s friends arrived. 


Kate’s outgoing, positive demeanor and sense of humor has attracted a lot of friends—friends from St. Louis School, where she used to be the music teacher; friends from Clemens Crossing Elementary School, where she currently teaches music; friends from college; friends from Choral Arts; friends from her volunteer work; and many other friends she has made. 



Donna drove the project, setting the theme (Mexican), tracking down and inviting the guests, drawing up the menu, shopping, cooking, decorating and pretty much everything else.  Eileen helped tremendously.  Eileen’s husband Andrew expertly manned the bar, making Margaritas and keeping the beverages flowing (and making a beer run when the Coronas ran low). 



The morning after
Sunday afternoon the family continued the festivities by meeting at Eileen’s and Andrew’s place in Baltimore, then walking to Canton Dockside for crabs.  Sunday evening, back in Columbia, Donna and I collapsed in front of the TV, exhausted from a wonderful, joyous weekend.



Today it’s back to reality and the challenges we continue to face.  But the reminder of the remarkable gift our family is, and the importance of cherishing each other, will surely stay with us.  Happy birthday, Kate!  We love you!










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