What Do You Want for Your Birthday?

It's that time of year again. Birthday. Sometimes the event is exciting, as when you are turning 16, 18, or 21 years old. There is an anticipation there that this new age offers some excitement, some privledges. After 21, that excitement seems to end. You are climbing up a hill to then rapidly go down it. Where I am depends on your perception. Actually it depends on my perception. I have the brakes on and am sitting on top of the hill. I don't like heights!

I have been plaqued with "What do you want for your birthday"? Outside of a small place at the beach or a newer car that is paid for, I don't have any big or little desires that can be purchased.I don't really need anything.

I remembered a friend of my mom's who would say, just give me a hug and a kiss and tell me you love me. That never satisfied me as a proper gift to give, so I would do that, but I had to get her something else, that would be a "real gift" and "count". Momma's friend was much older than I am, but at this moment, I am relating to her.

What do I want? Really?

For my girls to be happy and have a safe and good life. If they marry I want them to experience more of the better than the worse.

For my husband's journey since his fall 18 months ago to wrap up and for him to be able to get back to living and enjoying life. I want the rest of his life to be healthy with no more hospital visits.

I want my sister's to get and stay healthy. No hospital visits for them. In fact, I want all my loved ones, friends and family, to get and remain healthy. I would be very happy if I didn't have to go to another hospital to see someone I love, or to another funeral, for a long, long, time.

Time. I want time. I want time with my family. I have little nieces and nephews that are growing like weeds. They are still excited about birthday's and I would like to share that excitement with them. I want time with my friends.Time to laugh, to share, to talk, to just be. Time with my sister's, that I love so much. Time with my nephews and nieces that aren't that far from my age. One day, we will be all we have. I want time with my husband outside of a doctor's office so we can enjoy whatever years we have left together. Time with my daughters. I remember when they were little girls and I was the center of their world. I know I have to move over and let others in, but I would still like to have a good chunk of their heart. They may have outgrown me, but I have not outgrown them .

Time. Isn't that a gift we can all afford to give? It is a one size fits all kind of gift. Everyone likes it, no matter what their age is, no matter if they are male or female, an excutive or a stay at home mom, a toddler, a teen, a college student, middle-aged, or senior citizen. It's a good gift for every walk of life, in your life. From a neighbor, to a coworker, roommate, spouse, kids, cousins, aunts, uncles, siblings,friends, parents, grandparents, or grandkids. Everyone likes time.

So, if we have something we can offer that won't go out of stock, like something on a shelf at Target and we can give it regardless of when we are paid, why don't we give more of it?

We don't have to go "broke" with our time, a little, a segment goes a long way and says to the recipiant" You are special to me. In spite of all I have to do in my life, depsite my obligations, I think YOU are a priority and I CHOOSE to spend something so precious to me, that I may not have much of with you...MY TIME. Nothing says love , not even Hallmark like TIME.

They say you can't take your stuff with you when you die and that is true, but you can take the memories of time spent with you because it is in your heart.

May you receive the gift of TIME from those you hold closest to your heart!

Happy Birthday Tears

I sometimes think there is a hormone left from my pregnancy with our last daughter. This little hormone hid somewhere in a dark corner where hormones have access and comes out only now and then. The fact that my "baby" is 14 years old has nothing to do with anything. It obviously is a hormone that is healthy and takes care of itself so it can peek out for special occasions, like this Sunday.

My oldest daughter's birthday, her 19th birthday, is this Sunday.

I am happy for her. I was happy to pick out a card for her till I started to read them. Memories...what happened to that little girl? My eyes misted up on more than one card. Thank goodness Hallmark was closed and I was in Target. I would have been standing in a puddle at Hallmark I am sure, sniffling through the cards. She 'deserves the best" but I dodged Hallmark so I could actually read a card and get through the whole thing. Hormones and Hallmark are NOT a good mix.

I think of my Mom alot, now that I am a mom. I recall when I turned 30. She cried. I didn't get it....couldn't understand why SHE was crying, I was the one having a birthday and it didn't bother me that I was 30 because I didn't consider myself old. Dumb, dumb, dumb, I was so blind!

My mom cried because her "baby" was 30! Which meant SHE was 30 years older too! She remembered the years I was so reliant on her, when she helped me walk, held my hand as we went places, she remembered in her mind having a purpose. I wish I would have had the wisdom then, as a daughter to see what was going on. I would have reassured her that no matter how old I got, I still needed her, she still had a purpose...she was still my Momma.

So for all you kiddo's out there, that see tears in your mom or dad's eyes, as you get older, when you get your first apartment, when you get married, when, when, when......just know behind the misty eyes is a lot of memories, alot of pride in you, a lot of love, and still a heart that needs to be needed in your life. A heart that remembers loving you.

So my soon to be 19 yr old...I remember, I mist up, I smile, and I am ready for many more years of celebrating with you! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!