Talk about a celebration!

Last night, my family converged in San Diego for a really wonderful celebration -- the Laura Kicked Cancer's (booty) party! (Hey, it's a family blog.)

Laura Roppé is a family friend, and all-around cool person. She released her first CD last summer, to glowing reviews. (To listen to or buy it, go to www.lauraroppe.com) She was on the radio, and on TV, and just everywhere, soaking up the love.

And then she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Not just any kind, but the type only 10% of women diagnosed get. Suddenly, her singing c areer (and life) were put on hold, as Laura embarked on a 7 month journey of ch emo and radiation treatments.

During treatment, she looked forward to this summer, when she would celebrate being cancer-free by returning to the stage at the Belly Up Tavern. Last night was that night.

We piled into our c ars (or planes, in Tim's case) and headed south -- no way we were gonna miss out on this party! My parents bravely offered to watch all five SoCal grandchildren, and we readily took them up on it.

What a party it was. Laura looked and sounded great, and it was a really emotional night. Her family was all there, and her friends, and even the oncology nurses and some other cancer survivors. Any doubts that life is precious, and short, and whether we should make the most of it RIGHT NOW were completely erased last night.

Laura rocked the stage, and I was glad to be part of it. When I first saw and hugged her, she was smiling and happy, and gesturing toward her throat. "She's saving her voice to sing," her husband Brad told me. She smiled, and I just hugged her again. She looked around questioningly, raised up her hands like, "Where is...?" When it was obvious I didn't understand, she finally asked, "Where are your brothers??"

I can't believe she couldn't spot them, because they were very loud and hard to miss. (If there's anything louder than the four Dinsdales drinking beer together, I've yet to hear it!)

I pointed to Tim, who she hugged, then gestured at her throat and shook her head.

"She's saving her voice, so she's not talking," I told Tim. Then I smiled and added, "But she talked to me!" (Have I mentioned we Dinsdales are a competitive lot??)

The concert was phenomenal. Laura sang all her original tunes, and was witty and very personal with the crowd. Everyone was just so glad to see her healthy and back where she belonged -- if she'd sang jingles (which she admitted was her first ambition), we'd still have cheered her on like a rock star.

It did get a little ugly at the very end, when in typical Dinsdale fashion, my brothers bombarded Laura about a song she wrote for her husband (who we grew up with). I think they actually shocked and appalled her, and I'm banking on her long-time friendship to realize that though it sounds like cruel mocking, it is indeed, how the Dinsdale boys show love. Our family mottoes are, "We're only polite to people we don't like" and "We only tease you if we love you." Unfortunately, last night, they showed Laura and Brad a LOT of love!

Anyway, it was a fantastic night, one I feel so privileged to have been part of. I'd like to say we celebrated Laura the rock star last night, but that would be only partially true. We also celebrated Laura the mom, wife, sister, daughter, granddaughter, cousin and friend. I am so glad that all of those Lauras were there, and kicking booty onstage!

Now go out and hug the people you love, and remember "no day but today"!

Mama got a girls' night out

That's right, and I dragged my sister-in-law Mari along for the ride. We attended our friend Laura Roppé's CD release party at the Belly Up Tavern last night, and it was a blast! (The pic is from her CD cover.)

We ran into all the Roppé's, including Lynn Roppé (Brad and Brian's mom), who I haven't seen in probably 20 years. She immediately told Mari a story about how young Brian came home once with a bald patch on his head, and reported that it came from me pulling his hair out. His mother was horrified until Brian told her, "It's okay, I got her back--she has a bald patch, too." Mari looked at me, but I just shrugged. "Sounds about right," I said. We weren't exactly the sweetest children growing up.

Then I saw Brian, who couldn't wait to show me pictures from his latest adventure. "I went to a party at the Playboy Mansion," he told me proudly, and flipped through his phone to show me pictures. "Here's the front of the Mansion--recognize that?"

I just stared at him. "Um, no," I answered. "Because I'm a GIRL!" (Hey, I may not recognize the Playboy Mansion, but ask me who was on the last five covers of People magazine--that I know.)

The place was packed with Laura's friends and family. Big Brad was pacing around, and when I asked if he was excited for his wife, he answered, "I'm really nervous!" He had no reason to be--when Laura came onstage, the crowd cheered wildly and the party started.

She was AWESOME! Gorgeous, confident, and having a great time...it was literally her moment in the spotlight, and she reveled in it. She sounded fantastic, singing her original songs. (I listened to the CD today, and it's SOOOO good! Go to http://www.lauraroppe.com/ to listen to or buy her new CD, Girl Like This.)

It was so much fun. Mari and I danced and whooped it up, bringing Laura's song "Mama Needs a Girls' Night Out" to life. We were still high from the music and laughing as we drove home, when suddenly, some guy ran into the otherwise deserted road. I missed him, but only because he moved quickly. Mari couldn't believe it--she rolled down her window to let him have it.

"That was not a good choice you made!" she yelled as we zipped by, and I started laughing, thinking of how many times a day she says that to her kids.

Even on our girls' night out, we couldn't stop being Mamas.