Birthday Blessings

This will undoubtedly be my fastest post of all time. (There were actually three other sentences here but I typed them so quickly that they literally flew off the page. Yeah, not really.)

In just a few moments I will be headed home for my "Birthday Dinner" and I am definitely looking forward to it. No cooking; no cleaning; just showing up and exhibiting genuine gratitude. I can do that! Besides, getting older is no big deal at this point. Yesterday marked my 52nd year on this earth.

Silly side note which demonstrates my poor math skills. The year I turned 24, Frank thought it would be funny to convince me - mathematically - that I had turned 25! He seemed so certain; sincere even. And as the trusting young bride, I bought it. Uh Huh!

Spent that entire year telling people that I was 25. It wasn't until the next July that he corrected his little joke. I see you thought it was funny too! Now you understand why I had math tutors for the girls while we were home-schooling.

Anyway, my family has actually managed to turn this into a three-day event. Frank and I enjoyed some "birthday-ish" time on Friday. The girls had created "encouragement notes" that they posted randomly throughout the house and tucked in special hiding places where I would find them later. (My favorite was when I lifted the cover off my tea kettle; which they knew I would surely do on Sunday morning. Attached to the kettle was a brightly colored note - "You're still a Hot Tea!" Get it? Hottee?! How cute are they?!!)

There were three red roses and a card on my desk from Frank. The church showered me with cards placed in a lovely crystal basket in the foyer; along with a fabulous spring bouquet. My facebook account was filled with greetings. Several messages were from missionary friends and two of those were in the language of their field. Such Fun!

The only bad spot was that I misplaced my phone for the day and couldn't find it anywhere. We searched high then low then high again; still nothing. Finally, around 7:30 when the evening breezes were blowing and the mosquitoes had not yet arrived, I went out to sit on my swing for a few minutes. There was my little phone, sitting all alone; right where I had left it on Saturday night.

So if you tried to call me, I did not look at the caller I.D. and choose to ignore your call as you suspected. No indeed. Who in their right mind would miss out on a birthday call?! "Not I," said the little old birthday girl. I simply couldn't find my phone to answer your call. But if you left a message, I will have the joy of replaying it several times. Smile.

And now I must be on my way. I already have explicit instructions to NOT look into the refrigerator when I arrive home. As a matter of fact, I was later told to not even look into the KITCHEN! No problem at all. I shall turn into the driveway; go straight to my bedroom; change clothes and enjoy a few chapters of the book I'm currently reading.

What a plan!