Best Birthday Present EVAR!!

For much of my life, I have had extraordinarily disappointing birthdays.  I wouldn't go so far as to curse the day of my birth, but it has been decades since I've looked forward to my special day.  To put it mildly, it has most often left something to be desired.

My husband knows the reasons why I feel particularly unloved and uncared about on my birthday and, to his credit, he has always tried very hard to make that day a good one for me.  Last year, he was out of town for my birthday. . .other than when I was attending my brother's service, it has been the only time we've slept apart since we got together.  It wasn't all badness & sadness though because I met up with some friends at a local theme park that day and they treated me to a very tasty funnel cake.

My birthday this year wasn't all that great, I swear that my son went out of his way to make me cry that day, but my husband certainly came through with what can only be called The Best Birthday Present of All Time! 

After five or so years of casually looking and ten months of serious looking, we bought another house.  Not only did we buy another house, but we bought a FREAKING AWESOME house that is exactly what we both wanted.  It is the perfect place to raise our boys and we both fell in love with the location, the floor plan, the backyard.

When did escrow close on this house?  On my birthday.  As I said, best birthday present ever!

My husband has already told me that I shouldn't expect him to buy me another house for my birthday next year. . .geez, what a cheapskate!  Ha!

Waiting Until the Last Minute

is not a smart way to plan a party.  :(

Of course, I didn't plan to host a party in the first place, but still.

55-Years Ago Today

Someone very special to me made his debut 55-years ago today! 

It's true that he's recently started a passionate affair and I'm insanely jealous, but I still love him to bits; blond hair, green eyes, bad back and all!  So join me in wishing a happy birthday to my husband and here's a song I picked just for him today.  He really is my vehicle. . .


Vehicle by Ides of March
Hey, well I'm the friendly stranger
In the black sedan
Oh won't you hop inside my car?
I got pictures, got candy, I am a lovable man
I'd like to take you to the nearest star

I'm your vehicle baby
I'll take you anywhere you wanna go
I'm your vehicle woman
By now I'm sure you know
That I love ya (love you)
Need ya (need you)
I want to, got to have you child
Great God in heaven, you know I love you

Well if you want to be a movie star
I got the ticket to Hollywood
Well if you want to stay just like you are
You know I think you really should

I'm your vehicle baby
I'll take you anywhere you wanna go
I'm your vehicle woman
By now I'm sure you know

That I love ya (love you)
I need ya (need you)
I want to, got to have you child
Great God in heaven you know I love you
Oh you know I do

Well I'm the friendly stranger
In the black sedan
Oh won't you hop inside my car?
I got pictures, got candy, I am a lovable man
I'd like to take you to the nearest star

I'm your vehicle baby
I'll take you anywhere you wanna go
I'm your vehicle woman
By now I'm sure you know

That I love ya (love you)
I need ya (need you)
I want to, got to have you child
Great God in heaven you know I love you
And I'm your vehicle babe

Oooh
You know I love ya (love you)
I need ya (need you)
I want to, got to have you child
Great God in heaven you know I love you

Another Sad Birthday

Today is my mother's birthday.  She attended her own mother's memorial service on this day in 2006.  She'll be attending her only son's memorial service tomorrow.  I think that my birthdays have left a lot to be desired, but I suspect she won't want to celebrate anything in September ever again. 

My brother's wife suggested that we go out to dinner tonight to celebrate my mom's birthday.  She rightfully reasoned that my brother wouldn't have wanted us to ignore Mom's birthday.  Though it's painfully obvious that someone important is missing, I hope that we can manage to have a nice time tonight.

* * *

One week ago, my brother was here.  He was enjoying a hamburger with his wife.  He was living, laughing, loving, breathing. . .and now he's gone.  Sitting in his home, I can't help but expect him to walk through the door at any moment.  The door that he'll never walk through again.

Tomorrow is going to be hard.  So very hard.  Pray for the family to be strong so that we might conduct ourselves with honor and dignity.

I Owe My Happiness to My In-Laws

Tomorrow is my husband's birthday. Fifty-three years ago today, my beloved mother-in-law was preparing to give birth to her first child. She wasn't even 25-years old when she first held her darling, precious baby boy.

The love that a mother has for her son is far different than the love a wife has for her husband. As much as I love my husband, and I love him dearly, the love I have for him doesn't compare to the love she has for him. A mother has a primal connection to her children. My husband is number one in my heart because our marriage relationship must take first priority for the sake of our children, but my husband is not the flesh of my flesh.

My in-laws have been married for over 55 years. I would guess that they had every reason to expect that my husband would remain happily married to the wife of his youth. I can't imagine how painful it was for my in-laws to see my husband in an unhappy marriage, in unhappy relationships. I'm sure that they are quite pleased to see their son so happily married with an adorable little boy of his own.

I am thankful that my in-laws chose to have children. I'm thankful that God gave them my husband. I am so very thankful that they raised him to be a faithful and good man with a strong work ethic.

I adore being my husband's wife. I love being the mother of his child. I owe my happiness to my in-laws.

Fifty-three years ago, my mother-in-law was holding her sweet newborn on the day of his birth. Tomorrow I'll hold my wonderful husband on his 53rd birthday.