Birthdays

Birthdays have always been important to me. A way of celebrating the beginning of another year of life with family and friends. It's like starting a new chapter in a much loved, don't want to put down book. Growing up, I had some of the greatest parties. My mom was really big into cake decorating, so one year, she found all these little doll heads and made these enormous cake dresses around them and then we had a game of "musical chairs" so to speak and the winner of each round got to pick the doll they wanted. I think the best one was my 17th when we had two slip and slides in the back yard and we were having races down them. After a while we got smart and put them together and made one long slip and slide which was a blast! My poor Dad was so upset, because it kind of ruined his yard the next year.

Last year, I hit the big 2-5 and was not really interested in celebrating or even admitting to anyone that it was my birthday. As a child you have all these lofty ideas of what your life is going to be like when you hit your mid twenties, and the reality does not usually add up to the fantasy. Here I was, thinking about all the things that I felt like I was missing out on, when I should have been celebrating all the things I had accomplished in 25 years.

So this year, I have taken a more positive outlook on being 26 and instead of thinking about all the "what if's" and whatnot, I'm thankful for not only another year, but hopefully being another year wiser. I have a great family, wonderful friends, and a God that is showing me all the things that I can be and do through him.