It is My Birthday!!

Okay, normally a person doesn't go around announcing it is their birthday and I can certainly understand, especially as one gets older.  We just kind of wish they would go away.  However, one of my granddaughters suggested this year that we reverse my age which would only make me "7".  I'll go for that.

And so did my family.  At my request, there were no gifts as I have everything I need or want and just having them here for dinner would have been a gift in itself but they went beyond and above and put on a party.  But it was a party for a 7 year old.  Yes, really.  But oh what fun.  The party hats, noise makers and the play jewelry that we were to wear.  The birthday plates, napkins and cups all matched and then they walk in with the cake.  Plain with just Happy Birthday but in each corner was a plastic heart shaped ring with Barbie on it.  And they even put on a number 7 candle.

I loved it.  I will remember this birthday for a very long time and the best part is that I didn't turn that old number that the calendar said I was, or at least not in my mind or in front of anyone.    I kind of like this reversing the age number, especially if it means I'm getting younger.  LOL!

Michele made a delicious dinner for us and we had an afternoon of visiting and fun.  What more could anyone ask for?

We even got the dogs involved.  We put party hats on Foxy and Gretta so they could be a part of the celebration too.  Gretta was more shy and stayed close to Michele but Foxy was prancing around being the center of attention.  But then she also got the present, a new doggie bed which she loves.

Anyway I just had to talk about the best birthday I think I ever had.  I had my daughters and my grandchildren with me and we laughed and talked and made the day very special.  I feel so blessed to have children and grandchildren who are so caring and loving and always there for me.  I love each and every one of them with all my heart.

So as I proceed onward, I do so with a light heart and mind and to heck with being 70.  If they think I'm 7 then I'll be 7 for the next year.

 

Thank you Melanie, Michele, Zach, Brianna, Hailey and Matthew for a wonderful day.  Love you all.

April Musings I

I've been lax about my posting.  I meant to come in before Easter to post some of my thoughts but it seemed to come so quick and passed by just as quickly.

My daughter, Michele found out in March that she would be seeing a neuro surgeon concerning her back and leg problem so we were waiting to hear from them while we prepared for Easter.  Now that the grandkids are older, there was no hiding of eggs or even coloring of eggs this year but we did get together for a nice Easter dinner.

I got to think about Easter's past, like the ones I grew up knowing.  Most of the time we went to one or the other of my grandparents and most of the time it was my mother's parents who lived on the farm.  It seemed like as many of the 12 children they had were there with all their offspring, my cousins, and believe me that is a houseful and a half.  

We always hoped for nice weather as the house was really too small for everyone and tables and chairs were sit up on the wrap around porch. I can still remember yelling "dibs" so my cousin and I could get the porch swing, but many times we were out voted by our younger uncles.  But it was alright as we managed to find places close by to have our dinner.  There were egg hunts too.

But the biggest thing I remember is the new clothes and the Easter hats.  We would go to church all decked out and then out to the farm or in town depending on which set of grandparents were were going to.  My mom would take a change of clothes so we wouldn't ruin our Easter ones but we always wanted to show off our new clothes.  

It is a shame that today no one dresses up for Easter or for that matter, not for many holidays.  I always had my white gloves and new purse to go with my new dress, shoes and of course the hat.  The hat was the biggest thing and it had to be a new one each year.  Maybe not real elaborate but still a hat of some sort.  I remember that I had one aunt who wore a hat all the time.  Even my grandmother did when she would dress up to go to town, but Aunt Elsie was always well dressed and stylish as well.

I remember dressing up my daughters when they were small and not sure when we actually stopped.  It was a gradual thing that just went away on its own.  Maybe all the moving around we did and not always finding a church and being away from family we never put that much emphasis.  In fact, when I think about it, I think it stopped when they were old enough not to get an Easter basket or hunt for eggs even though they both colored eggs well into their teens.

Then the grandkids came along and again we started the process and I'm glad to see that my girls did dress them up and celebrate by going to church so that the children knew that Easter wasn't just about the bunny and colored eggs and new clothes.

But now Easter is behind us and we've started into a new month of spring.  Although Mother Nature has played a trick on everyone this year by promising spring and then delaying it.   Maybe that was her April Fool joke on all of us for believing in a furry rodent's prediction of the weather.

On April Fool's day Michele and I were sitting in the neuro surgeon's office as he told her she would have to have back surgery to fix the spine so the pain would go away and not get worse.  We've been waiting and now have a date of April 10 for her surgery date.  It is a task getting everyone situated and taken care of as I'll be transporting her that morning leaving the grandchildren to fend for themselves.  Thank goodness they are old enough to do so.

My other daughter, Melanie left early this morning for a trip she has planned for over a year and has worked hard to save for it.  She will be taking a week long caribbean cruise.  I'm sure she is going to have fun and I'll be waiting to hear all about it when she returns.

Now that April has had a good start, with a nice rain that we needed badly and warmer temperatures, we will be enjoying the days ahead with family outings.  Of course with those good times comes the work times as now we will need to start keeping up with the mowing and trimming plus Michele wants to plant some flowers and maybe a few things in a garden spot.  And I will admit, the thought of freshly picked tomatoes and peppers and onions makes me hungry.  The larger garden will be on hold due to her back problems we were unable to get it ready this year but there is always next year.

April also brings some other good things.  On the 17th, my youngest grandson will turn 12.  My, how the times has flown and he is becoming such a young man now.  

Sorry this has been such a long post and I'll try to get back more often.  Happy Spring to everyone.