Happy Birthday

Today is my birthday. I'm 56 years old.

I always felt just a little bit cheated, having a December birthday. Seems like it kinda got lost somewhere in the Thanksgiving clean up and the Christmas preparation.

There are very few of my birthdays that are memorable for me.

Once when I was still in elementary school...must have been 6th grade...I invited the kids in my class to my birthday party. Mother let me buy a pink satiny quilted "hostess gown". I felt so pretty and grown up. No one came. I was so sad. My foster brother, John, went and bought me an "Operation" game and sat and played it with me.

I don't recall ever trying to have another party after that.

Then it was 2007, 2 months after Dave and I moved into Limpdik Park. I had been back at work from my bout with pneumonia for just a few days. He called me after I got off work and told me to meet him in the clubhouse when I got home. I usually went there for the mail after work anyway. When I walked into the clubhouse, there was Dave and a dozen of our new neighbors. He had gotten a ride to the grocery store with a neighbor and made goulash and salad and garlic bread and birthday cake. The neighbors brought balloons and gifts and cards and wine. It was incredible to me, that people I barely knew would turn out like this. For me. It was the first and only surprise party I've ever had and I will never ever forget it.

This year? This year, it's a little harder to get around. And the budget is a little tighter. But it was still a good day for me. I spent it with my Dave. He put together the present I asked for. (A Craftsman mechanic's stool for my kitchen). We had a simple dinner and an hour long Skype call from Jacob, our older grandson, which was priceless. I heard from my younger son Gary, and from my sister Pam, and there were about 50 good wishes on Facebook.

I'm not where I thought I would be by this time in my life, but I'm satisfied with where I wound up. I have two sons that I'm immensely proud of, a man who loves me unconditionally, and friends I can count on to cheer me. And the best big sister anyone could ask for. I am a  happy woman, and I had a happy birthday. :-)