Great send-off, Mom!

With all the excitement on Friday evening through the night on Saturday etc., I forgot to write about the momentous event that I attended on Friday afternoon.

After over 18 years of civilian service with the U.S. Army (all of them in the Pentagon), my mother retired from her day job and entered a new phase of her life. As of that moment, Sheila became a full-time grandma! My dad, Auntie M., and I all attended her retirement luncheon, which was a jolly affair with many Army active-duty members and civilians who celebrated her career. You could tell that all the people that worked with her truly appreciated her years of hard work, her friendliness, and ready sense of humor.

The surprise of the evening was that she received a medal! Sheila joked that she will be wearing it on trips to the grocery store. :-) So now, I can tell friends and relatives that my mom has been decorated, right? She also received a U.S. flag in a shadow box that had been flown over the Pentagon in her honor and a framed letter from her Congressman on gold-embossed stationery. The lunch ended on a positive note when my mom gave a very gracious and funny speech that delighted all.

And yes, she was working at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. For the whole story on that, read this entry. Congratulations, Mom! I'm so proud of you. I hope you enjoy every minute of your retirement; any time you get bored and want the kids, come by and get them. ;-)