The Days of Runnells

Today the Runnells family gathered to celebrate Grandpa's 87th birthday, which was on Saturday Surrounded by his siblings, his children and his grandchildren, Grandpa seemed to enjoy his day.  I am thinking he will also enjoy his newly replenished supply of cashews, MGD, and licorice.

We decided to hold the party in the community room at Grandpa's new home, a place he confirmed he loves living at.  We ate lunch and listened to Xavier's piano playing, watched Grandpa open his gifts and enjoyed some birthday cake and ice cream.  Grandpa was a real champ -- he gave a birthday speech and blew out his candles, all of them, in one try.

It was a perfectly wonderful Sunday with the sun shining, the family together and Grandpa in good spirits.


Grandpa Duey sure makes the big 8 - 7 look good, ha?!  


Though it is safe to say all of us would rather not have come together for the reason we did this past week, having everyone home meant we had time to do a lot of cousin bonding.  Wednesday night, the cousins (most of us) gathered at our house for an evening of drinks, snacks and Olympics observations.  We even made a run to Taco Bell, a favorite of Grandma's, to pick up some tacos and a Mexican pizza in her honor.  

Friday night was an impromptu cousins shindig sparked by the dinner gathering at Uncle Mike and Auntie Pat's house.  I'm so glad Shannon gave me a call and my night went from one with no real plans to one with so many of my Runnells cousins around me.  Aside from the fact that I can now officially say I am able to field phone calls while on the treadmill, which is where I was when Shannon called -- I sprinted the last half of my run, changed, grabbed a few bottles of wine and headed out -- I also can say that playing games isn't half bad.  

Saturday night was more of the same, drinks and fun with the cousins. We watched a bit of Olympics and Brian's live broadcast of the ABS Nationals Climbing Competition.  I think we also did a good bit of work on our beverage supply.  It was a nice chance for all of us to enjoy being together one more time before the chaos that is adult life drew us all in separate directions -- school, work, babies, spouses who are thousands of miles away, etc.....

The past several days, for all the emotions that were packed into them, were good ones.  We leaned on each other, we laughed loudly and often, we grew closer -- we confirmed the fact that family IS forever!  And I know we did it all with Grandma watching over us.  

 the cousins (15), cousins-in-law (5), significant others (2)
and great -grandchildren (2)



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