A cow, a rooster, and a gorilla walk into a bar (a Friday smile)

Oh wait.  That's a different story.  This story is about a birthday party.  It hearkens back to June of last year when the youngsters from CA visited me.  I'm also sharing this with Annie (at A Stitch in Time) and the wonderful ladies at Friday Smiles.

Let me begin by telling you the story of how I met my no name, no photos allowed friends.  The children's mother and I were office mates at Wichita State University.  We were both working on our Ph.D.s and we immediately hit it off.   It was like we had known each other forever.

The Hiland milk cow

Soon she introduced me to this group of young women who either already had their degrees or were working in high paying jobs.  I felt like the poor step-sister, but they immediately welcomed me into their group and made me feel at home.  A few years after graduation, my friend got married and had the three children she later entrusted to me when she was dying of breast cancer.  Back then, there were often times the families of my no-name, no photos allowed group got together.   I stopped going to those, since I often felt like the fifth (or 15th) wheel.  However, I always got together with the women at our monthly meetings and still do.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.  I know many long time readers know this story, but some of my newer readers may not.  My friend (the children's mother) was diagnosed with cancer about Thanksgiving four years ago.   On Christmas, her then husband asked for a divorce.  In order to speed things along, he relinquished all parental rights to the children.  I didn't know why, but the oldest told me last year that he needed to get a quick divorce so he could marry his girlfriend who was more than likely pregnant.  At least that's what their father had let slip one night when he was packing to leave.

Close-up of the Hiland milk cow-note the udder

Back to the present, it's now late May of 2019 when I told my fashionista friend that the children of our friend were coming to visit.  She wanted to do something with them and the group, since the children were very well acquainted with our no name, no photos allowed group.  I hadn't told the group the youngsters were coming in 2018, because the visit was all so new to me.  After all, when the children's mother died, I stayed at the children's house with them, not the other way around.

The Hiland milk cow is located in the Steffen Ice and Ice Cream building

To make a long story even longer, when I told my fashionista friend that the youngest was celebrating a birthday while here, she insisted on throwing the soon-to-be teen a party.   I BEGGED her to use discretion and not go overboard.  I envisioned all kinds of things, like bringing part of Disneyland to her house or catering an over-the-top pool party.  Thankfully, she respected my wishes.

This rooster is located at the Donut Whole

It was only a little bit over the top with the cake that my fashionista friend brought from a high-end bakery in town, but at least she didn't throw a party at her house with games, a clown, or other silly things.

She, the rest of the group (no men, since we both felt the children might feel bad after what their father had done to them) and their children went to one of the high end restaurants in town.  I won't name it, but the bill was over $2100.00 (USD), none of which I had to contribute.  There were 16 in the party, which included eight adults and 11 children, three of which were the honored guests.

Close-up of rooster located at the Donut Whole

It was great to see the children renewing friendships with these long-time teen friends.  As much as I'm sure the children care for me, they seemed in their element when they were among old friends.  After all, the children were all about the same ages as the honored guests.

Another view of rooster located at the Donut Whole

Several of the women asked the now teenager how it felt to live in California.  There was a long, lively, animated discussion, where the other two teens chimed in about the differences between Kansas and California.

The rooster on top of the building located at the Donut Whole

All three youngsters felt that although they missed their friends in Kansas, they really loved their new life in CA.  They were doing things with their aunt they never did (or got to do) with their mother and father.

This gorilla sits on top of a tattoo parlor

Speaking of the youngsters aunt who adopted them.  Don't get me wrong.  The children's mother was beautiful.  Really beautiful.  She had long blond hair, had been a cheerleader, was very popular in school, won many awards, was smart, (an honor roll student and [I think] valedictorian of her graduating high school class) and belonged to a sorority as an undergrad.

Close up of gorilla

However, all her accolades pale in comparison to her sister, the drop dead gorgeous aunt who adopted these children.  Just 18 months older, the youngsters' aunt could have been a model.  Tall, slender, polished, and gifted, this woman runs her own company and has more than a few employees she is responsible for.

Even closer view of gorilla

I won't say she's Bill Gates rich, but she's rich by MY standards.  She can afford to give those children anything and everything they could ever want, including things money can't buy like moral support, a feeling of safety, and knowledge they won't be abandoned, as well as things money can buy, including counseling and a home that would make mine look like an outhouse.  I've seen photos and you wouldn't believe the square footage she has, the furnishings, the public rooms, the kitchen, and the children's bedrooms.  Her home has SIX bathrooms.  Each child has one.  I'm lucky to have two and one of them I built myself.

Another view of gorilla

Equally important is the fact that once she adopted the children, she cut back the number of hours she worked, delegating much of the day-to-day running of the business to others in her company.  She took last summer off and only went to work one day a week, except for the 10 days I had them in Kansas.  During the school year, the youngsters tell me she is usually home when they get home from school.

Twenty-nineteen was different, though.  You may have noticed, I had the youngsters for nearly a month.   She had a deadline for a big project she had to finalize.   This was one of those times she had to be present and working (overseeing, approving) so nothing fell through the cracks.  Instead of hiring a sitter, she asked if I would be willing to take the children until the project was complete.  I was overjoyed.   She tried to pay me, but I refused.  Besides, if she gave me lots of money, I would have spent it on the children, doing expensive things, and we would never have found so many free and really inexpensive things to do.

One final view of gorilla

She never misses a sporting event, a school play, a music event, or any event in which one of the children is involved.  She has taught them about art, botany, science, chemistry (her company has a large mid-sized chemical facility) and how to survive in the world.  She has taken them to art museums, zoos, botanical gardens, history museums, various sporting events, and war museums.  I'm so glad I got to meet her when she was in Wichita to bury her sister.  She and I got along as well (and comfortably) as her sister, the children's mother and I did.  She and the youngsters call at least once a week.

I said all that as a backstory.  I actually wanted to share what the youngsters and I did before we went home that day.  After the "party" my fashionista friend threw for the now teen, we went looking for these animals that sit on top of buildings.  I hope you enjoyed what we found.  I know the youngsters did.

As for gifts, the now 13 year old child received from the fashionista and her daughter

this set of drawing equipment.  It is composed of 124 pieces and a drawing easel.  I suspect the daughter, who some of you will remember made

this and similar beauties when I taught her how to make shaving cream paper, was the one who picked out the gift.

The group, including the fashionista, gave the 13 year old

a smartphone printer so the child could take selfies with friends.  Also included were two boxes of fujifilm.  After all, why take selfies if you can't share them, right?

What did I give the new teen?  This

and this, of course.  If you didn't at least smile once while reading this, you are probably as sick as I was last week.

Thanks for spending part of your day with me, sharing a birthday for the now 13 year old, and learning more about the three youngsters who have been back in CA with their aunt for over six months.  They read my blog, so they will soon know I shared this with you, my loyal readers, followers, and lurkers.   It's also time to see what others are smiling about this Friday.  Please don't forget to start your weekend off right by visiting Annie for a few Friday Smiles.