80 YEARS YOUNG - November 24, 1932-2012

The best kept secret is about to be unfolded and revealed.

The guests have arrived, the table is laden with delicious finger foods and Mackie is tending the food table.  Mackie is the precious woman that let me highjack the Young At Heart meeting as a cover for this entire venture.

 The banner is hung, Phyllis & Tanya are ready to serve the punch and the guest book has been signed by the guests.

Mickey & I entering (sorry the picture is so dark).  He was TOTALLY surprised and the tears came to his eyes as it starting registering on him that ALL these people were here to honor him.

 Mickey went around both sides of the 2 long table set-up greeting each & every person who had come.

 Greeting his dear friend, Ronnie Young.  Ronnie is the one who came and mowed the grass and did so much for us after Mickey's heart bi-pass surgery 4 years ago.  Also the one who got him involved in Bee Keeping and whom he still helps on occasion.  They also work in Royal Rangers together with the young boys of our church.  

 Another shot of the crowd finally eating. 

 The family at the head table, Benny, Son-in-love Dave, Eldest Son David (who flew in from San Francisco unannounced for the event) Grandson Aric

 Daughter Jacque greeting her beloved father.

 Youngest son Marc (who helped pull this surprise off from the very start), our granddaughter Oksana (who Marc flew in from Indiana for this surprise) and grandson Aric. 

 Mickey with his 2 1/2 year younger brother Jerry (who drove in from Nashville)

 This isn't too clear but Jeanne, (who hosted this wonderful event and literally made it happen) is on the stage with the mic as the crowd plays Mickey Trivia and she throws candy bars to the ones with the right answer!  In the background playing, during the entire evening, is the video presentation our son Marc put together with pictures I selected depicting Mickey throughout his life.  The background music on the video was "Why Me Lord" by Vern Jackson.  This is Mickey favorite song and one he relates to.

 Mickey & Susan just prior to the cutting of the cake.

The party carried over into the small group Real Christianity class Kent & I teach on Sunday mornings.  We served left over birthday cake, more cards were brought, by those who weren't able to make the party, and

  Jasmine & Sean brought him this silly cap.

Thanks so much to the more than 80 people who showed their love and affection to this wonderful man I have been honored to call husband for 54 years. 

I LOVE YOU FOREVER, MICKEY JOYCE, and that is no SURPRISE to any and all who know us!!!! 

Shhh, It's a SURPRISE

The invitations read:  

Happy 80th Birthday Mickey

Shhh, It's a Surprise!

Saturday, November 17, 2012

6:30 pm

Main building 

(multi-purpose room by the small kitchen)

Please join us to celebrate

Mickey Joyce's 80th years young

Birthday Bash!

Bring finger food to share and help us

honor this special Brother in Christ.

Cake and Punch will be served

Coweta Assembly of God Church

29707 E State Highway 51

Coweta, OK 74429

RSVP Jeanne Oswald

(her phone #'s which I'm not including!)

The fb notice of event went out and 105 were invited. 

After MUCH planning and sneaking around keeping this a secret the day finally arrived!!

Tim & Phyllis hanging the banner, Michele in the foreground.

Tim, Jeanne, Phyllis & Michele hard at work on the balloons.

The tables & chairs all in place as Tim, Jeanne & Michelle take a small break

Some of the decorating "stuff"

Hostess with the mostest, my dear friend Jeanne who came up with all the wonderful ideas and decorations, setting the first of many center pieces that were made that morning.

Son Marc brought the cake and punch ingredients and it is set in place

Phyllis & Tanya ready to serve

The 80 some guests have arrived and the table laden with good eats is ready!!!

Gift & Surprises Part III

I cannot believe it has taken m 24 days to get back to finishing up about this trip.  In a few more days I'll be able to tell you why :o) 

Friday, October 5th, David drove us to the San Francisco airport about 5 a.m. to catch our American Airlines flight back to Tulsa.  We were scheduled to arrive at 2:15 and Marc was picking us up.  The plane loaded but was a few minutes late and we were a little concerned about making the connection we had to make in Dallas.  When we landed in Dallas we RUSHED to the gate, we needed to be on, and boarded just in time.  We were so relieved.  

So we settled down in our comfortable 1st class seats, 2nd row on the right.  Then the pilot came on the speaker and said,  "We are going to be leaving a few minutes late because we are awaiting a connecting flight."  No problem.  We wait and we wait.....finally a bunch of American stewards and pilots come rushing on board.  So that was who we were waiting for!!  Then we wait and the pilot came on and said, "We have a minor problem with an engine light and we are waiting for a mechanic to check this out."  We wait and we wait and we wait....."The mechanic has arrived and we will be leaving shortly".... and we wait and wait ....."We have a shift change and the mechanic is leaving and they are sending another."  WHAT????  Shortly..... "The mechanic needs just a small part and has left to go get it from the service area across the field."  Everyone is patiently sitting, at least in our 1st class area.  We have no idea what it must be like in the main seating with 3 narrow seats.  The little female stewardess is literally running up and down the isles tossing bags of snacks to the people and offering water.  Trying to "feed the animals"?

Mickey and I knew instantly what was going on...because we have a big American plant in Tulsa...and are aware their is a labor dispute between American Airlines and the pilot union.  This was definitely a "quiet demonstration".  Because we had no connecting flight to worry about, and because it was afternoon Mickey & I just sat and visited and I worked a lot of puzzles in my Sudoku puzzle book.  

FINALLY, after 2 1/2 hours we are in the air and on our way to Tulsa.  We arrive at 5:30 and Marc, who we had been in contact with telling him, "we're still on the ground" and finally, "we're finally in the air" was waiting for us.  We had to go to Owasso, to Marc's house, to get Mickey's pick-up.  Marc says, "We'll have to jump the pick-up because the battery is dead."  No problem.  We decide to go out to eat before heading home so pick up Aric at the house and go to Red Robin.  Have a delightful meal and visit with Marc & Aric, telling them all about our trip.  

We leave Red Robin and are going to head to Marc's get our pick-up and head home.  Oooopppps.....Marc's car will not start!!  WHAT???  He has jumper cables so a man in a car pulls up beside us and Marc asks him if he will let us jump the battery.  He is very nice and we think wheee "thank you Lord".  Well, guess what?  The car will still not start.  The man offers to drive us where ever we need to go, even offering to drive us to Coweta (which is a 40 mile trip) but we thank him and call AAA for service.  About 45 minutes later the man comes out of Red Robin after his meal, we are still waiting for AAA who hasn't shown up yet so and we tell him if he really doesn't mind we'll take him up on the ride.  Mickey, myself and Aric all hop in his vehicle and he drives us to Marc's, which is a very short distance away.  Then this wonderful man helps Mickey & they jump the battery on the pick-up.

AAA finally arrives and Marc's vehicle is hauled to a near by Auto repair store, Tate Bros., so he can get it fixed the next morning.  Mickey picks Marc up and brings him home.  It is now so late, and at this point Marc has no vehicle so we decide to just spend the night with Marc & Aric.

Tate Bros. got right on his vehicle the next morning and had it done  by noon.  By the way.....it was the starter, and of course a $300+ bill.  So after a nice breakfast at IHOP we drop Marc off to pick up his vehicle and we head to our home in Coweta, a day later.

I have to say, it was an exciting end to an exciting wonderful trip that we will never forget!!!  We live such an exciting life.