November 18, 2002
34 and still making birthday wishes...
Today is my 34th birthday and it's just another day to me. I don't feel any different than I did yesterday or the day before that.
I believe as you get older, the days and months and years all begin to look and feel the same.
I remember when I was younger the anticipation of each birthday and the excitement I actually felt that day. I felt special and thrived on the attention I knew I'd be getting. Being the youngest and a VERY spoiled girl, I was smothered with love and presents.
I remember my 10th birthday vividly. It was a Friday in 1978 and we had a 1/2 day of school because of report card day. My mother planned a girls birthday party with all my school and neighborhood friends at my house for the afternoon. That morning when I woke up, there was snow everywhere - Chicago had gotten an early snowstorm and it was a winter wonderland. My Muzzie baked chocolate cupcakes and I took them to school and passed them around while everyone sang Happy Birthday to me. Then all the girls walked home with me thru the snow; having a snowball fight against the boys the entire way. When we got home, Muzzie had soup; mac & cheese and cheeseburgers ready and waiting for us. I got a Shawn Cassidy outfit {tan bell-bottom pants with his face on the bell-bottom part} and a matching Pink tee-shirt with his faced blazed across the front from my parents. All my friends gave me cool toys and outfits and I raked the gifts in. After lunch and a Shawn Cassidy cake, with removable toy figure dancing - we went into the living room and put some disco on. We danced and played games all afternoon and then around 5 - went outside and played in the snow, building snowmen and making snow angels.
After all the girls left (except for my touchstone M - she got to spend the night); all my extended family came over for my FAMILY birthday party. I got even more gifts, more than I could count but that wasn't even the best part.
The best thing about the whole day was after they sang Happy Birthday to me and they told me to make a wish.
I remember looking around the table and wishing that I would remember this day forever.
I never wanted to forget the new ballet slippers my Aunt E bought me and how the satin ribbons tied perfectly up my leg.
I never wanted to forget the bright pink huffy skateboard my brother J bought me from his job at Sears.
I never wanted to forget that crazy Shawn Cassidy outfit.
I never wanted to forget how my Uncle D always tried to surprise me with the Circus tickets, even though I always knew we'd be going.
I never wanted to forget the way that my Pops always gave me my birthday spankings, always adding on a few for extra measure.
I never wanted to forget the way my Muzzie always made me exactly what I wanted for eats, no matter how tired she was.
I never wanted to forget the way that my touchstone M always puts brownies in her teeth and smiles.
I never wanted to forget how much I loved my 2 brothers and my sister and how glad I was that they were mine.
I just always wanted to remember how special I was that day and it appears I do remember.
So here I sit on my 34th birthday and this one is turning out to be pretty cool too.
I just spent the weekend away with T and I got to meet more of his friends and it was awesome. Then last night when we got home, my Muzzie cooked me a meal and I shared it with those closest to me {Muzzie, J & R, E & S, my sister J, M, M & E and T}. Although I missed my pops being there and I miss the love I once had with my brothers, it was still awesome. As my family and T sang to me yesterday over pie {no one could find a Shrek cake} I looked around the table and wished once again that I would remember this birthday as well.
So today, my work friends gave me cards and brought in treats.
My Muzzie and E came out and took me to lunch.
T sent me flowers at work and is taking me out to dinner tonight.
So even though it's just another day, I feel pretty special. I'm know how lucky I am and I count my blessings.
Thank goodness for those yearly candles and wishes.