S U R P R I S E !

Doug wanted to have a surprise party for mom's 74th birthday so he let us all know and we arranged our schedules to make it happen. That was the first challenge; the second was keeping it a secret from mom! She seldom answers the phone anymore except the day I'm trying to get details from Doug. I know she's got caller ID, so I tried disguising my voice just incase she didn't notice the number. I did a lousy job since she knew it was me. I'm certain she was quizzing/pestering Doug all day long about why I would be calling to talk to him. Anyway...I think she may have had an idea, but seemed pleasantly surprised.

Here's all the crazy, noisy grandkids waiting to surprise her. Keeping them quiet was also a challenge! (Especially Chan & Gippy!)

And the BIRTHDAY GIRL arrives!

We gave her a Willow figurine called "Generations" which was a grandmother, mother, and child looking over a quilt. This was a perfect gift for a grandma who has made several quilts aka "wubbas" for each grandchild, and has taught her children to sew and many of her grandchildren as well. Gippy explained this to her incase she didn't get it. Thanks, Gipper!

Grandpa Ted aka "BEAR" posing for a picture!  Lucky for him, he couldn't hear all the hullaballoo as loudly as it actually was!  Party animal Bear still loves a get together!

To make the gift even more meaningful, I asked each grandchild to write a letter, poem, or card telling Gma Shen how much their own "wubba" meant to them.  They were all very sweet; she cried happy tears as she and Doug read them.  The biggest surprise was Elder Wiscombe's email from Hungary expressing his love for her and his beloved "wubba"!  It was a hit!  We love you, Mom/Gma Shen!!

Here's Mom posing with all the homely grandkids. he he

(Chandler, Parker, Gma, Hannah, Jaid)