Sunday, March 12, 2017

My turn-The big 5-0!

So a few weeks ago, I posted for my BFF's 50th. Now it's my turn.  Today's the day.  In honor of this momentous occasion, Kent surprised me Friday with a dinner out at Macayos with all my siblings and their spouses as well as my two sons who are still at home.  It was a wonderful, fun evening.  Bryce and Becky brought me a giant chocolate chip cookie in the shape of a 50, (which has already been devoured.....I shared with my family, and I am trying to convince myself that they ate more than I think they probably did.....I think I actually consumed most of it......it was delicious.) And Rex and Kim brought me a "Candy Violet" bouquet.  (For an explanation of this one, see #8 on my last post.....Paige, the "mommy" of "Candy Violet II" is Rex and Kim's daughter.)  Kent had asked my mom to write a poem about the first 50 years of my life.  (Wow, that is kind of hard to type.  How can I be 50?!) And he had each of my siblings share memories about me.   We then all went to see the movie Hidden Figures, which did not disappoint.  What a fun way to celebrate! For this post, I will share the poem, written by my talented mother in honor of my 50th:

Long, long ago on Sunday,
Church was about to start. 
Ann and Mike got in the car,
Ready to depart.

However, we weren't going
To the chapel this March day,
We were off to have a baby!
'Twas a girl! We named her KAY!

We waited and we waited
For this baby to debut.
Mike tried to keep Ann comfortable
'Tho this proved hard to do

We waited, and we waited.
Finally, Ann was whisked away.
Mike waited - in the "Fathers' Room,"
Where he was told to stay.

It was a moment filled with joy
When Ann heard that first cry.
And when Mike finally saw her--
Well-- no adjectives apply!

It was Nineteen-sixty-seven,
March 12th, in the night
Yes! That's the special moment
We recall with such delight. 

Our lives were changed forever.
We were never quite the same. 
Now where have all the years gone
Since this mighty rearrange?

Now it's Twenty-seventeen,
And fifty years have passed.
How could little baby Kay
Have grown up so fast?

She started life in Salt Lake
But that place was not her fate.
Her Daddy felt that Logandale
Was where they should locate.

So for the first years of her life
She lived both there and here.
Stayed in her Grandma Hardy's house
Just like a pioneer.

Her Hardy cousins loved her
This precious little tot
They'd come to hold and tend her,
And play with her a lot.

Between here and Salt Lake City
She was shuttled to and fro.
But she always knew we loved her
No matter where we'd go.

When Kindergarten beckoned,
Logandale became her home,
And from that moment until this
She hasn't cared to roam.

She had to ride the "scary" bus
To school, yes-every day.
Big Indian high school students
Almost frightened her away!

She made good friends.  She played with dolls,
She learned to read and spell.
Most everything she tried to do,
She did it very well.

By now she had two brothers.
Bryce and Rex by name
And not too long thereafter,
Another sibling came.

This was most exciting!
Oh my, what a thrill!
She now had her own living doll.
Baby sister, Jill!

She and best friend, Corinne
Cared for Jill's every need.
Impatiently, they tried in vain
To teach her how to read.

Somehow Jill survived this.
In her own good-natured way.
And now these two are best of friends.
Sisters-Jill and Kay.

When Clark and David came along
The family was complete.
The house was suddenly too full;
We moved across the street.

Kay took dance and piano too,
Her talents to improve.
But she somehow broke her right arm
In a tricky tumbling move.

Yet she continued to do well
Throughout her years at school
Student Council and good grades.
She was nobody's fool!

Most fun of all was cheering
For the good old "Gold and Blue." 
But traveling to far off games
Caused Mike to fret and stew.

Valedictorian she was named.
For Graduation day.
We could not have been more proud
Of our smart daughter, Kay.

And then before we knew it,
This, our little girl,
Was headed off to Provo,
To give BYU a whirl.

And then, oh my! My goodness!
A wonderful event!
She married Kent, her sweetheart.
This match was heaven-sent.

They settled down in Logandale,
Which is the perfect spot.
They've had six perfect children
That they've loved and raised and taught.

Kay still is just amazing,
Gets up every day to run! 
She also keeps her house clean.
And she's kind to everyone.

She serves well in Church callings
And she's teaching first grade now.
Whatever she is asked to do,
She does her best somehow.

So if Kay's turning 50,
It must make perfect sense
With everything that she has done
There's proof! --There's evidence

That even though she's 50,
She is good for 50 more.
So Kay, just keep on going
Cause no one's keeping score.

My "50" chocolate chip cookie and my "Candy Violet" bouquet (made of both candy and violets :)
THEN
NOW
THEN
NOW (our family has grown a little in 50 years :)