Happy Birthday to Me! Fini.

February 2010 ~ I turned 41.

This was the best birthday ever!

On my birthday proper, I was awakened at ten past six in the morning when a little boy in footie pajamas climbed into my bed.  Sam crawls into bed with us most mornings.  Always on my side.  He pulls himself up, arranges his head on my pillow then says, "Covers."  I share my covers.  Then he says, "Hugs."  I share my hugs.  Then we go back to sleep, or something close to it, for a few more minutes.  But, my birthday was a little bit different.

"Hold hand," he said after we had assumed the cuddle position.  I gave him my hand.  Carefully, in the semi-darkness, he made a point of interlocking our fingers, just so, until he could quietly announce, "There.  Good."  With his free hand, he started stroking my hair.  Then he began to gently explore my face.  "Cheeks.  Chin.  Nose," he whispered in my ear as he came to each feature.  This was peculiar, but sweet, and not loud enough to wake Daddy, so we did not go back to sleep that morning.  We just loved on each other in Sam's tactile way.

Not too much later we were joined by Jonah, who took up his usual spot between Hubband and me.  It was so late in the morning, there was no point in sending either boy back to bed, so we did the family cuddle for awhile, until I finally had to drag myself to the shower.

On my way out of bed, I mentioned to Jonah that it was my birthday.  Jonah likes birthdays.  He was so excited he hurled himself at me for a full body hug.  I caught him in mid-air.  It was rather like trying to catch a bicycle.  But, the hug was sincere.  I know this, because he made no mention of cake (his main reason for liking birthdays).

When Sam heard this he said, "Happy birthday to you!  Way to go!  Good job!  Well done!  Happy birthday, Mommy!"  Sam, who four months ago didn't even say "Mommy" with any consistency, wished me Happy Birthday!

This was the best birthday ever!!!!

My mother and my sister and my sister-in-law and I all went out for a nice dinner and ate way too much, including dessert and an $11 margarita and I paid, for once, though they tried to not let me.

Hubband and I, to celebrate my birthday, spent a whole weekend just being with the kids at home all together.  I didn't spend four hours on Saturday afternoon shopping for groceries and diapers.  We didn't even go to church on Sunday.  It's just a building, after all, and our particular brand of building is a high school gymnasium.  But we were a Church with a capital C, the five of us at home, basking in His word and love and blessings.

Did I mention that this was the best birthday ever?

When I was 23, for a class of some kind, we had to say what we wanted out of life.  I said I wanted to get married, have four kids, boy, girl, boy, girl, in that order, go to law school and write a book.  It was a bit of a throw away line, but ultimately true at the time and essentially fulfilled now.  I'm married, and happy about it.  I have three kids not four, but I'm good.  Note I said I wanted to go to law school, not become a lawyer.  So, check.  Note also that I only said I wanted to write a book, not publish one.  Well, I've done neither.  But, I'm not dead yet.  And God has blessed me with things I didn't even know, when I was 23, that I wanted.  Thank you, God.  So, you see, I am right where I always wanted to be.  No complaints. 

This was the best birthday ever!!!!!

This will be the last installment of my Happy Birthday Series.  At least for this year.  Thank you to everyone who came by this month to help me celebrate.