Happy Birthday Papa Joe!!

Here is a postcard from Bo.

On January 18th - Papa Joe's 70th Birthday - we flew to Connecticut to surprise my dad.  My sisters and step- brother and sister and all our families were there.  It was the first time EVERYONE was together in a really really long time.  We all met up at a neighbor's house -- us from Tennessee, Eva and her family from Virginia, Ben and his family from Chicago, Jen and Dominic (who had just flown in front China) and Cara who was stuck in traffic coming from New Jersey!

It was especially great to be there because Dad is retiring from Xerox soon and taking on the CEO position at Concern.

Here is the press release from Concern Worldwide.

SATURDAY, January 19th.  In the morning we headed to the Aquarium in South Norwalk.  The kids loved it and really had a great time being with their cousins.

That night Carolyn had organized a great party.  Uncle Martin and Aunt Pat drove down from Hamden, everyone wrote songs or poems and we had a great time!

The adults all trying to get Michael to smile. 

Mary Clare and Erin with Uncle Martin and Aunt Pat - two of my favorite people!

Cake!

I made a video of photographs of my dad for the party -- 

Here is everyone watching the video of Photographs after the party.

Sunday, January 20th.  After a leisurely breakfast we took the kids to Stepping Stones, a children's museum.  They had a lot of fun and afterwards we went to lunch at the Sherwood Diner.