Happy 80th Birthday, Grandma!

This past weekend, my sisters, mom and I drove up to Ohio for a surprise birthday party for my grandmother. Both of my parents are from Ohio and I spent a great deal of time there in my childhood but it has been years since I have been back up there. We're not particularly close to my dad's side of the family (since he was never really all that close to his family when I was growing up), so I believe that I was in high school the last time we made the family trip up to that part of Ohio. I'm really glad that my mom has been able to maintain a relationship with my grandmother (her former mother-in-law) because it was really nice to be able to bring my mom along on the trip.

I drove about two hours to the Virginia border where I met up with my mom and sisters. My mom left her car at a hotel right off the interstate and we drove the rest of the way together. We had a lot of fun, although I must say that our stop for lunch left a little something to be desired. I wish I had copies of the pictures from the trip (right now all I have are the thumbnails so you might not be able to tell) but since my dad is from a super tiny town our trip takes us through pretty much the middle of nowhere. We are sitting on a stoop behind a parking lot splitting a Little Caesar's pizza at one of the very few exits we passed on our journey. It was pretty funny - there were even three children who lived in an apartment above a store right beside our stoop who proceeded to skateboard right behind us (wearing pajama pants and no shirts!) while talking about going to swim in the river later. I wish I knew what town we were in because it would make a great setting for a book!

My dad actually showed up for the party (awkward!) but my sisters and I were polite and asked him some questions about what he's been up to. We weren't sure if he would be there or not, but I thought there might be a chance since this was a party for his mother. (He isn't close to his family at all, so it would not have been that strange if he didn't come.) We haven't seen him in the two years since Bethany's graduation and we haven't really spoken since then either so it was weird. We're all open to having a relationship with him (which considering the things he has done, says a lot) but he makes no attempt to contact us at all. It's just sad to think about going through life without a relationship with your family members. I'm so grateful for my mom and sisters and the close relationship that we all have with each other.

Carolyn, Grandma, me, Bethany

My grandmother was really surprised by the party, and by all of us being there. I'm really glad that we were able to go and even happier that I was able to reconnect with some of my cousins. I think we're going to really try to make an effort to keep in better touch. All in all I'm really glad that we made the trip.

Grandma's bunch - Christopher, Derek, Stephanie, me, Bethany, Carolyn, Julie, Ben (and Julie's 3 kids)