Happy Birthday to Joe!

It's hard to believe, but tomorrow night I'll start sleeping with a 60-year-old man! (When I tell Joe that, he just says, "Rub it in!" He'll be able to get me back in 3 years, though.)

We had his birthday dinner at the Marina tonight with his Hardees buddies, their wives, and also our daughter Ginger (who took this picture) and her husband Todd. If you know them, you might recognize Ross and Ann McCarley, Dean and Kay Pitts, Bob and Rutha Freeman, Paul and Cheryl Castleman, and Don and Cheryl Cowell. We had it all--gag gifts, funny cards, a nice prayer by Bob Freeman thanking God for friends, and an awesome ice cream cake made by Lisa E. (everybody wants the recipe, Lisa)! Oh, and note the magazine cover on the table that Todd designed. He promised to email me a copy I can post later.

We had a lot of fun (for old farts), and I'm very grateful that Joe is healthy. My dad died of a heart attack at 60, so that number makes me a little nervous, but I recently read in the Bible where Hezekiah was going to die and God decided to give him 15 more years. So I asked God for 15 more healthy years for Joe. I know that sounds morbid, but we're still pretty shaken up about Dickie dying at 56.

It's really weird knowing that most of your life is over, but on the other hand, eternity is ahead so it's really no big deal. I think I'd miss my kids and my younger friends (you know who you are!) but then again, I'd probably be so excited about being in heaven that it wouldn't matter if I had to wait awhile to see them, and it would be great being with Madeline again.

OK, time for bed, which might be interesting!!

(Oops, my kids are going that read that last comment and say "Eeew!" Well, we're not dead YET!)