My mom spent most of a year planning my grandma’s 90th birthday party, coordinating with her siblings to secure dates and décor, collecting messages and memories from those who couldn’t attend. Grandma shared a birthday month with her sister-in-law, Imogene, so we combined their parties.
Mom reserved the atrium of the historic Yam Theater in downtown Portales, and we staged the room like a gallery featuring the lives of our beloved matriarchs. Rows of tables and tri-fold boards displayed artifacts from different eras of Grandma’s life. Childhood toys and high school yearbooks, 4-H projects and fair ribbons, her wedding dress and recipes. The exhibit showcased the ingenuity, perseverance, and lifelong friendships that defined her nine decades. The room was a testament to a rich life committed to a place and its people.
When everything was set up, I hurried back to the Holiday Inn to change clothes and pick up my husband and son. I’d been busy getting ready for the party, but hadn’t prepared myself for grief to make an appearance.
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