Her family had a surprise gathering. Everyone was careful to hide their travel plans.
Her son, Rick Angus, told her about his plans to visit. He arrived on early Friday. While Jan and Rick were talking, a car pulled up to the house. It was her daughter Kathy Brooks and surprised her with her arrival. While Kathy and Jan were hugging, the other daughter, Judy Piano, was hiding in the car. Judy popped out of Kathy's car and surprised her again. As they were sitting in the kitchen and talking, her foster daughter Erica Reaves walked in with her husband Casper. Erica said "I heard there was a party here", happily surprised for the third time that day. A little while later, he son Owen Angus arrived with his wife Diane. Friday dinner was a great gathering of all her children over home-made tacos.
After dinner, there was good conversation, good memories and plenty laughter. In particular, Jan was remembering a family trip. There was a boat that passed the family truck, going down the highway. No car. No trailer. Just a boat. The children in the camper were banging on the cab and pointing to the run-away boat. Jan was laughing so hard and turning red at the memory.
On Saturday, the plan was everyone from Friday to meet for lunch at Aguayos Resturant in Calipatria. . In addition, Owen's son Colin was there with his wife Breanna and their daughter Kendall. Also at lunch was Jan's home visiting teacher Gladine Daker and her husband Ernie.
At the gift opening, one of the key gifts was a family photo album. It contained photographs and narratives of Jan's life. It also contained photographs and written dedications from the children, grandchildren, and friends. Later, Rick was asking Jan a few questions to fill in the historical details about her life. It was great to hear the family hear more details about Jan's life.
Later that afternoon, Judy's daughter Nicole Piano arrived with her fiance Dylan. We had a chance to take photographs of three generations. Almost everyone stayed out at Jan's house that evening and had spaghetti for dinner. Wall to wall people for sleeping, just like old times.
Everyone was glad they could play a part in Jan's 80th birthday.
