Big Birthday Bash at Celestial Valley Ranch

By Clare Grondona

From North San Juan

Back in the day it was said, Doug Bigley Senior gave the best parties.  Well, they still are but this time Jakob who just happens to be Rhonda Murphy’s six-year-old grandson planned it.

What Jakob has been through for the last four years has not been easy.  When he was one year old his mother Kera was killed in an automobile accident in the state of Washington and Jakob had to go live with his Grandfather and step-grandmother with being able to visit Rhonda here in California.  That little boy did more traveling then a long haul truck driver.  The courts in Washington were going to award him to his grandfather and father when dad got out of prison.

Before I go on any further let me say, ‘It does not take a village to raise a child.’  Sorry Hillary it just takes a group of loving caring people who want the best for the child.

When I first met Jakob I called him my little green eyed monster and he called me Nonie and would say Nonie I don’t want to go back to that black house.”  Being two at the time we couldn’t understand what he was talking about.  Rhonda got him help at Sierra Family Clinic to be able to talk to Jennifer Sales, a consular and of course Doctor Peter Van Hounten.

Well, the battle began and it took a toll on the little guy.  One day I received a cell phone call from Grandma Rhonda she was one her way to Reno’s Airport to meet up with his father.  Jakob got on the phone crying “Nonie please write the judge and tell him I want to be a California boy.’  I told him I couldn’t do that but we would pray for the right decision.  It broke my heart and after years of going to and from Washington his dad meshed up big time.  When the court order him to grow his hair so they could test it to see if he had been doing drugs.  Low and behold the hair never lies.

With that Grandma Rhonda Murphy was granted custody and the adoption right for Jakob.

So yesterday at the party I interviewed Jakob and of course with all the children around it was one question.  ‘Jakob what is the happiest thing that has happened too you?”  He looked at me with his big blue eyes smiled and said, ‘now I am Jakob Murphy forever.”

The attendees were, Rosetta Novak, Joey Erin, Bigley (Doug’s grandkids) Matt, Jordana, Ayla, Aria Addeigo, Lilly Bautista, Tia Noble, Chase, Noah and Ravynn, Makala Carlton, Skyler Noble, Danny Rasmussen, Connie Gross (Jakobs pre-school teacher, oop’s almost forgot Mike Gross, Jeremy, Mary Mount Camptonville, Mindy, Grayson Dixon the other baby sitters my daughter Kristina McCarty, Justtina McCarty and me.

Now you see Jakob knows how to throw a good party like Doug, whom he also calls Grandpa.

PS Happy Birthday Joseph Novak 1-25-09