Today, I'm 49. There's an Andy Griffith show where he tells Gomer, who is going on a blind date, not to "over-expect"...and someone needs to remind me of that...particularly with holidays and celebrations. I think as you get older, birthdays seem to be shoved aside with minimal celebration and last year, after another somewhat disappointing birthday, I decided that this year, I wanted to really honor and celebrate each birthday in our family. Shanna and Russell both had lovely birthday celebrations which actually lasted several days with family get togethers, dinner out, etc. Let me preface this by saying that my husband is the most wonderful guy in the world...however, he works long hours for UPS and since he's been a driver, he hasn't had (taken) the time to shop for a birthday gift (or Christmas for that matter), so I've bought my own and wrapped it up. I told him this year what was on my wish list...and he did come through (thanks to Tanya, at A Joy Forever, who held the Strawberry Quickutz alphabet that I wanted). This year, Russell had the opportunity to attend a model railroad convention yesterday and today...taking classes, going through all the fun booths, visiting with other model railroaders (those of us who are scrappers know how fun and exciting it is to go to a scrapping convention and see all the new stuff) and this was his first model railroad convention with classes that he's ever been able to attend...so I told him to go (and I wanted to him to go and have a good time), even though he would be gone the entire day of my birthday.
I am not a chocolate cake lover and yet, even knowing that, my boss has gotten a chocolate cake for me for the last two years...so this year, she bought...a white cake with chocolate and coffee filling...I HATE coffee even more than chocolate and she knows that...what the heck! Today was the last day of my three-day in-house seminar and I was so busy serving everyone and making sure they all had their gluten, wheat free, kosher, vegan food and getting eye drops for the lady with pink eye that I didn't have the time to dwell on the fact that I'm 49 and there are certain days when I miss my Mom so much it's almost a physical ache...
So finally work is over...I know that Russell is at the model railroad convention and I will be picking Shanna up from school and then taking her back so she can play in the band at the football game tonight. I swear to you...16 year old girls can be the rudest, unkind, people on the face of the earth and today, if I could have, I would have smacked her...not only did I not receive any kind of birthday wishes, home-made card, hug, etc...she ate my cake and tried to take some of my birthday money for her dinner...so I left in tears...so that's the blues part of my birthday.
I knew that if I didn't pull myself together, I would spend the evening crying so I went for the first time ever, to see a movie on my own...went to see The Women (it didn't get great reviews), but overall, it wasn't a bad movie and I laughed a lot. Stopped at Costco on the way home (Russell and Shanna still gone to their respective activities) and I bought myself a new book and a bouquet of flowers (I love fresh flowers and that's always a guaranteed way to brighten my day). Got home and discovered email messages and cards in the mail from some of my special precious friends...Sandra, Sue, Lorraine and BonnieRose, plus all three of my brothers, my Dad and Mother-in-Law (who also made my favorite cake)...thanks for remembering me. So that's the blessing...
Sometime this weekend, we'll go out to dinner at my favorite restaurant, Red Lobster. Shanna is still being a little poop so I told her I didn't want to see her until she could apologize and treat me with a little more respect...so my lesson for today is not to over-expect and that sometimes, it's okay to put me first and treat myself to a movie, flowers and a new book.
So, I'll start tomorow being 49 with a happier face and finish sharing my transformation notebook...
Happy Belated Birthday! I almost spit my coffee out when I read about your boss getting you a chocolate cake for the past 2 years( and you hate chocolate) and then this year a white with coffee filling
YUK! I have never heard of coffee filling. I just turned 50 this year and birthdays are a bit over rated. But you know, you are just hitting the good years. I LOVE being 50. I love the fact that you are starting a transformation notebook - good for you. These next 50 years will be awesome. So go enjoy your book today and I hope you have a great meal at Red Lobster! Hugs!
Sue
Posted by: Sue Carter | September 13, 2008 at 05:25 AM
Happy Birthday!! I hope your day today is much better than yesterday. Good for you for treating yourself to a movie,book and flowers. Sometimes it is so important for us to treat ourselves.
Posted by: Sandra Collins | September 13, 2008 at 07:49 AM
First let me wish you a Happy belated Birthday. I'm glad that despite the hard time you had that you treated yourself to a movie and flowers.
Posted by: noelia | September 13, 2008 at 10:28 AM