Papa's 80th Birthday Celebration

One of my favorite men in the whole wide world, Papa, turned 80!!  My aunt Stephanie, with the help of a close family friend Marilyn, threw Papa a great celebration!  The party took place on Papa's actual birthday in the parlor at St. Luke's Church in downtown OKC.  Stephanie and Marilyn decorated the place to a tee with balloons, fresh flowers, music and lots and lots of cake!  It was a great turnout with lots of friends and family.  Papa said the only thing missing from the party was Mima.  She was there in spirit.  However, it was a very happy time and great way to celebrate Papa.

Four Generations: Noah, Papa John, me and Great Papa, the birthday boy

My dad and me

Laura, my dad, me and Cody

My great Aunt Chicky and me

My dad and Great Uncle Billy

Will, his mommy (my cousin) Lindsey and Great Aunt Wilma

Aunt Stephanie, Rev. Bob Long of St. Luke's, Papa and my dad

Cousin Rodney and my dad

Laura, Great Aunt Chicky and Uncle Cork

Laura and Noah

Noah: in his essence

So Stephanie really wanted to do up the fact that Papa was turning 80.  She bought 80 single candles to light and have blown up.  It was a very dramatic effect considering it took four adults to light all the candles before the candles melted into the icing!!  Once the candles were aflame, we sang the traditional "Happy Birthday" song.  Then Papa took one giant breath, looked at his little helper and they both got to blowing...

and blowing...

and blowing...

and then I had to step in and keep blowing...

The candles were the relighting kind, so as soon as you blown them out, the heat would just spark them and they'd reignite again!  Plus, amount of candles put off so much smoke we were surprised the fire alarms didn't go off!  Aunt Stephanie, along with everyone else, just laughed and laughed while several of us jumped in to extingush the flames!  Stephanie apologized by asking if anyone need oxygen.  With a room full of 75+ year olds, that was pretty funny!!  (Papa is still telling stories about those candles even after the party!)

Noah helped Laura cut and serve cake.

My labor of love: A slideshow of over 130 pictures telling Papa's life from birth til now.

My boys

 My little man and me

Noah took the two pictures of Cody and me.  He's a pretty good photographer!

All the family who came

There were 48 balloons at this party.  Laura got a crazy idea to tie all of those balloons to Noah's wrist.  Needless to say, Noah loved it!  We kept telling him he'd float away like in the movie, Up.

It was extremely windy outside.  Noah had to hold on with all his mighty to keep the balloons from floating away.  None of us really wanted to take 48 balloons home, so Laura got another crazy idea to have Noah let the balloons go.  And that's just what we did.  Hopefully, a whale didn't swallow any once they came back down to the ground, huh, Stephanie.  *wink.

Papa, I hope you had a wonderful 80th birthday celebration.  You are treasured by our family, especially by me.  I love you.