Mother's Day and Happy Retirement

Last weekend, we kids pulled off something spectacular - surprising my mom with an intimate retirement party. You know I love surprises so keeping this one a secret and actually pulling it off with so many different emails, conversations and schedules was quite the challenge. She didn't suspect a thing and I know she loved having everyone home. After teaching for 30+ years, we thought mom deserved something special and a special Mother's Day weekend it was. She has touched so many lives over the years! 
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I had a nasty cold and Becca has nasty allergies. So what do you do?! Try the Neti Pot! It worked wonders, and we looked pretty much like the guy in the pictures on that link except our eyes were watering and there was some laughing going on.

Sore throat/chest (hard to explain but it hurt), ear ache, congestion, constantly running nose. HOT!

"Weston, don't touch the kitty. She'll bite you."

"Weston...."

Poor Mober put up with a LOT *smile.

I love babies in wrestling singlets!

He loooooves newspapers.

Mom with her four grandsons and her yummy cake and frog shaped mints. (She decorated her classrooms in frogs.) Noah is 9, Hayden is 4, Jacob is 2 and Weston is 10 months. 

Jacob thinks Noah and Hayden are way fun and cool.

Becca doesn't do "serious" very well.

Awwww.....sisters by blood and by marriage but sisters nonetheless.

Sinclair family photo!

So basically the story is that Mom only knew I was coming home Friday night. Becca, Robert and Weston drove from Omaha and surprised her at school on Friday for "Mother's Day." She would have been pleased as punch with just that. But we didn't stop there. Saturday morning comes and Mom, Becca, Weston and I go out to my aunt's house for a visit. Meanwhile, back home...food, cake, balloons are being delivered from Hy-Vee, and Brent, Sara and the boys and Scott, Nikki and Jacob are arriving and getting into position (both families drove over 2 hours.) We end our visit and communicate via text that we're close to home. They all hide in the kitchen. Mom goes in first. Perfection!

Happy retirement, Mom! I know you'll love the freedom and joy that this new phase in life will bring. You have put every thing into teaching, and your efforts are shown in the number of lives you have impacted and changed for the better. I can't wait to see what God has in store for you.

What a fun weekend!