Dad's Birthday

My Dad is turning 60 this Friday. This may not seem like a major event to most people, but to the Donahue Clan, it is huge.

There is only one Donahue in the books so far that has ever lived to celebrate their 60th birthday and that is my Uncle John. He turned 60 (and counting) in February of 2007 with a great surprise party & celebration. He has broken the record, and we are all so fortunate. We are not sure if it is a "curse", an awful coincidence, or just really bad luck, but not one original Donahue had ever celebrated their 60th birthday before him.

The oldest Donahues, John & Terry, with the youngest Donahues, Aiden Peter & Hannah Colleen

In case you don't know, us Donahue's have a very twisted sense of humor. We have joked about our family members who have past, we laugh at wakes, and talk about death as if it were funny. Not typical, we know, but it's our way of dealing with some very hard realities. That being said, my dad would often let my brother and I know that we only had so many years left with him (his count down to his 60th). This was humorous when I was young, but got to be not so funny as I grew up and had babes of my own. He stopped joking a lot about it as he turned 50...knowing that 60 was right around the corner spooked him some I think (I know it spooked my brother & I).

When I was little, being sixty was SO old--some of my teachers were sixty and they looked like the Crypt Keeper. Now that my Dad is sixty, I laugh and think, "wow, he is still so young!!" I love that my children spend time with him and think that the day begins and ends with their Bapa. I love that I can think back and most of my favorite memories of growing up exist soley because of him. I love that he still laughs like he's 20, acts like he's 30, and looks like he's 40. I guess my dad won't live forever (can't believe I just said that), but I am breathing a little easier now that 60 is here, and so is he!!