This year my birthday fell on a Wednesday. Wednesday is a big activity night for me (and most of my friends). This meant that I couldn't do my normal birthday tradition of a dinner out and then friends over for homemade cake. Because none of us would be available. So I planned a party for Friday and my actual birth day was pretty low-key. Which actually turned out to be really really fun.
I woke up to tulips (my favorite) on the table. I worked out with friends. And then I did something I'd been wanting to do for years and hadn't done. I spent the morning going to stores that give you free stuff for your birthday (oh, yes, I did). I got a free fragrance from Victoria's Secret, a free sample lipstick and mascara from Sephora, and a free pastry from Panera. (And, yes, that took me the whole morning because I'm slow as molasses and because I'd worked out and showered beforehand, thank you very much). I could have gotten lots more free stuff, but that was good enough for me.
When the kids got home, they gave me their gifts, which were super duper sweet. Mark gave me money to go see a movie with him. It was kind of grown up and sweet. Savannah made me a bracelet from construction paper (think Wonder Woman, only purple and doesn't deflect bullets, well, not that I know of). Elizabeth made me a necklace with beads that say, "Best Mom Ever." (Didn't get a pic of my jewelry; sorry.) When Emma realized she hadn't gotten me anything, she was kind of sad and cuddled up on my lap and looked like she was going to cry. It was so precious and sad. Kip and Mark tried to give her things she could give me, which she mostly refused. Finally she let Kip help her wrap up some chocolate chips which she gave me, but she didn't seem really at peace about it until that night she made me her own little bracelet and then she seemed happy. It was kind of weird and sweet and cute. I also got a lot of cards and packages from people and just felt generally loved. (Thank you all.)
We had my birthday party Friday night. We were supposed to go out to eat, but about five minutes before we left, the light in the family room went out and I was like, "Kip, why'd you turn the light out?" and he was like, "I didn't." And then this amazing storm just hit like a wall of wind and water. No sirens even though Evansville likes to let its sirens go off all night long even when it's just a thunderstorm (I guess the siren guys were too busy with happy hour at the office or something). After a couple minutes of watching this amazing rain we were like, "Well, um, maybe we should go into the basement to practice at least." So we did and the big kids were a little nervous. After a few minutes it was done. Our neighborhood was a mess. We'd lost a big branch and a tree out back, but our neighbor had a branch through his windshield and there were trees blocking some of the roads. It was crazy.
Kip and I went out to eat anyway. Or started to. There were power lines down and trees down and traffic lights out and more gray clouds coming our way and fire trucks everywhere. It was taking forever to get anywhere and I felt uneasy. We called the kids and asked, "If there's a thunderstorm, will you be nervous." And Mark was like, "Can you come home?" So we did. I was disappointed, but also relieved--it seemed like the best thing to do.
I was worried no one would come to my birthday party and that made me sad. But several friends did come. We still didn't have any power, so we ate outside (it was not raining and there was a birthday party rainbow for me). We ate cake (which was only a mediocre German Chocolate cake, alas--I guess we can't always hit right on with the birthday cakes, but it was still decent and there's always that frosting). And it was super fun.
ugly cake, cute children
The next night our friends offered to watch the kids so we could go out. And we did. (Thank you Heckerts.)
So, yes, I did manage to stretch my birthday out over four days. And then there was Mother's Day.
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