bday42 with her in pooler!

What a Sweet 16 party it was, too, at Olive Garden, one of our favorite restaurants!

I love this photo of her...

I snapped it as we were all singing "Happy Birthday" to her, after the waiter brought that lovely piece of cheesecake to her.

Hard to believe my Christina Ann is 42...

time rushes by so quickly!

Wondrously, I was allowed to sit right by her.

Kaleigh had been there, but those two had been together in the sun at softball games all day, flirting with fellows, so I got the seat between the two sun-kissed lovelies.

 

That little girl in the photo is the granddaughter of the aunt of Christina's best friend since childhood, Heather.

Did you catch all that?

Heather sat opposite us, with her husband, daughter, son, and that little girl.

All the other little girls - Miyah, Chloe, Alyssa, and Leila - sat at the far end of the table.

What great lovely hugs I got from them when I came!

They had stopped playing, rushed to greet me, then returned to their play.

Very sweet!!!

Like I said, they sat at the far end, as did their Grammy and Pop-pop and Venita, too.

See her silver head beside Leila's dark one?

When Venita came, I offered her my seat, so she could sit beside the birthday girl.

I let her know that I'd had time with Christina yesterday, at another of our other favorite restaurants.

She considered it, but opted to spend time with all those great-granddaughters from Hinesville on this occasion.

That also placed her across from Melinda and Matt, the party organizers.

That meant I kept my seat!

To my right I had Kaleigh, then Bubba (Heather's son), Michael, and the McEwens.

Those would be our hosts, who live in Guyton.

In fact, not a single one of us live in Pooler!

However, all sixteen of us had all gladly traveled out there to be with Christina...

of course we had!

Hinesville, Savannah, Guyton - represent!!!

I know Chelsea and Dillon would have been there, too, had not work interfered.

Silly old work!

We physical beings weren't the only ones, though, as my odometer attested when I returned home.

The mileage was a nice, round, number: 239550.

Mama always liked those.

(smile!)

Right place, right time.