Happy Birthday to me!

Today is my birthday!

I woke up this morning (rudely awakened at 6:30am by my loving, energetic, ready-to-go daughter) and heard it raining outside. It took me back to another rainy day birthday – I was turning 12 years old & I had super high hopes for this incredible birth day. Not only were people going to arrive at my door with balloons & flowers & gifts, my family was going to cater to me all day long. I was going to receive all the gifts I was hoping for (but likely didn’t ask for) and it was going to be a warm & sunny day so I could sit outside & read (my favorite pastime). Super duper high expectations for a 12 year old, right? I thought 12 was such a big birthday – the last one before I became a “teenager” – ohhhh.

October 17 dawned, but barely. It rained all day long. It put a grey cloud over my head. Of course, to top it off, no one arrived with balloons or flowers. My birthday gifts seemed less than stellar. Instead of telling me happy birthday straight-off when my Dad walked in the door from work, he said happy birthday after getting cleaned up from work (which in my head felt like he’d forgotten). I remember laying in bed at the end of the night & crying because it felt like the worst birthday ever.

Seriously – I was such a dramatic 12 year old!

Thankfully, I’ve grown up a bit & I’m not quite as dramatic as I once was (even though there are days when Derrick would definitely attest to otherwise!) The morning of my 27th birthday might be grey & raining, but that’s quite alright with me. Gifts don’t exactly mean as much as they used to (it’s definitely more the thought that counts) and I know better than to expect someone to show up at my door with balloons & flowers (although, let’s be honest, that would be amazing!)

I’m just excited for a nice relaxing “down” day after a crazy busy weekend (more on that later!) Derrick left me a card with some lovely handwritten thoughts inside & Braelynn is all about the snuggles this morning. Derrick & I are celebrating this evening by going out to a nice dinner (because we all know that food is truly the best gift ever) and we have plans to eat cake with my family tomorrow evening.

So, it’s already the best birthday ever and it’s not even lunch time yet!