My Father is 80!

Wow am I getting old. My Dad turned 80 on January 29, 2009. We had a party for him at Mi Amigos with over sixty family members attending. Ethan asked me how it felt to have my parents so old. I responded with " I thought they were old when I was a teenager and they were in their 30's." My Dad is a survivor. His father, my grandfather died when he was 2 days old from typhoid fever. That left my grandmother a widow and single mother at 20 years old. He had a very rough childhood with a stepfather and alcoholism a problem for he and his little sister. They lived in a small town in the White Mountains where he lived until coming to ASU on a basketball scholarship. He had a terrible football injury in high school that has given him trouble his whole life, but he is an avid golfer and in his prime a great basketball referee. In his golden years he has had two hip replacements, one knee replacement and is fighting a battle with prostate cancer. They gave him 18 months to live 6 years ago and the doctors can't believe how good he's doing. He didn't want us to make a big deal out of him reaching 80, but our kids and grandkids don't know how lucky they are to have a living grandfather and great-grandfather. I never knew either of my grandfathers so I'm happy my children and grandchildren know him. My Mom will turn 80 in November so we are going to pamper her so she can make it to that milestone also. We are so happy to still have them around. They are such a good example to us and we couldn't do it without their love and support.