You Say It's Your Birthday?

So, today is the day of my birth. My age is somewhere between a mid-life crisis and an AARP membership. I had a crazy, fun party planned for myself and all my girls last Saturday. Cause I am like that. One of my friends said, "Aren't we supposed to throw a party for you?" "No, thank you" I said with a smile, "I want what I want so I choose to do it myself."

When I was growing up, birthdays were a huge deal. People, I got a pair of Shetland ponies for my 4th birthday, OK? Yeah. And a little cart for them to pull the princess around in. My mom and dad would be MORE than happy to share the video they took of me and some of my cousins having rides around the farm. So, my parents kind of set the bar ... high? shall we say? Although I have to mention that they did try to have children for almost 15 years with many disappointments and finally adopted me, and 3 years later my brother. (And no, we're not actual biological siblings.)

This fun was only complicated by the fact that my brother and I had birthdays 3 years and 10 days apart. He was younger. My birthday was first. Think about it, when I turned 5 he was about to turn 2. When I turned 7 he was about to turn 4. It wasn't pretty people. It is impossible to explain to a 2 year old that it is his birthday in 10 days. I feel bad for him, really I do. It had to be torture waiting for your birthday and having your sister's giant royal celebration BEFORE you. There was much tantrum throwing, cake smashing, and candle blowing-outing done by my brother before my parents finally wised up and decided that we should have a COMBINED party for the both of us somewhere in between the two days. I think that was the year I turned 9 and he turned 6. Yeah, that works out well, don't you think? Ten 9 year old girls and ten 6 year old boys at a McDonald's party together, fifteen 10 year olds and twenty 7 year olds at a roller skate party together. But you get the picture. It wasn't pretty, but it did save my beautiful cake.

Oh, the cakes. Every year my wonderful mom would ask me ahead of time what I wanted for my cake. And then she'd make it for me. Obviously this was back in the day of the true homemaker and stay at home mom. I had some wonderful cakes. One year (I think I was 4 or 5) I asked for a jellybean cake. If someone asked me for that, I would have no idea what to do. But mom presented me with a giant cake that had "Happy Birthday Marsha" spelled out in jellybeans. The princess loved it. One year I wanted a horse cake (10th I think) and she carved a cake in the shape of a horse head (my horse's head specifically) and decorated it. It was beautiful. If I had the time today I would search the archives for the picture, but alas. It is a busy week.

So my growing up years were full of fun birthdays in which I was the queen for a day. Roller skating parties, sleep overs, shopping trips, movies, ice cream cakes, homemade cakes, cup cakes, trips to Shoney's and Baskin Robbins, jewelry when I got older. It set a terrible precedent for adult life, unrealistic expectations for everyone around me. Even my mom told me "you want everything to be exactly right or it doesn't even count." No, it doesn't. But I am working on that. And by the way, mom? You created this birthday monster, do you realize that?????

When I was in my 20's a co-worker told me that I need to get over this. "Once you're past the age of 12, no one cares that it's your birthday." she said. Well, maybe that's true. I don't get treated like Queen for a day anymore, that's for sure. I don't get to pre-order the cake I want and have exactly the cake I want show up exactly how I imagined it. (chocolate cake with mocha chocolate chip ice cream. HOW HARD IS THAT??? Really?!) But what I do have is this:

I have friends who love me and I totally appreciate every one of them taking time to send me wishes by text, phone, and FaceBook. I have my husband who woke me with kisses and sang "happy birthday" to me. I have the fact that I am not eating sugar or carbs right now to eliminate the need for any cake, much less the one I want. I received a scholarship award last night that will allow me to begin classes again in January. I have an 82 year old dad who just made it through a MAJOR surgery and is coming through like a champ. I have a beautiful new ring that I picked out and hubby gave me. It's a Magnolia blossom.(natch)

So what if I am working all week co-chairing event after event. So what if I had to cancel my fun birthday "tea" for my girls in my backyard due to dad's surgery. So what if I don't get to be queen for a day and eat my favorite cake. So what am I doing for my birthday? I am working on a design project today, mailing postcards for my jewelry business and talking to some wonderful people on the phone. Best of all, tonight we're (hubs, me, and my bff's) heading out for a bingo experience as part of our NBWW events. How kitsch is that? I am so excited. And extremely thankful. It's gonna be the best birthday ever.