BirthDAY?

Happy birthday to me.~~  Happy birthday to me.~~  Happy birthday, dear me-e.~~  Happy birthday to me.  J

I know, I know… we’ve said it over and over that we don’t make a big deal of adult birthdays (or anniversaries or any other special occasions) at our house.  And normally, that is true.  So, why am I singing to myself now?  Because this has been a very special birthday for me (or more like birthWEEK).  I don’t know why it worked out that way, but it did and I’m having a great time.

Those of you who know me, know I’m very low maintenance.  You don’t have to buy me things, constantly reassure me that you care about me and… well, just make over me in general.  I don’t require a lot.  And I’m proud that I don’t cause a lot of people stress over “keeping me happy”, but I’m not gonna lie; it does feel good to be made over once in a while. 

Okay, well I wasn’t really MADE OVER today (or this week), but more-so than usual and I feel really special.  Let me back up…

First, I arranged to have a Thirty-One party on Friday for some of my stay-at-home mom friends.  What?  You’ve never heard of Thirty-One products?  Check this out for more information…  https://www.mythirtyone.com/60878/

Okay, back to my story.   I planned this party and while not a lot showed up and not much was bought, you know I love to socialize so I had a GREAT time.  THEN, I arranged a “play-date” at a local park on Monday.  Quite a few showed up and so, again, social-me, had a wonderful time.  But, the fun doesn’t stop there. 

Another wonderful friend of mine came to my rescue with her JuJuBelle business.  Check out this website for more info on that…  http://www.jujubelle.com/index.asp

Seriously, I’m not just trying to promote my friends’ businesses (well, maybe I am, but I am not reaping anything from it, so it’s for honest reasons), but this was really a life-saver for me.  I’m sure now you’re thinking, “What are you talking about, Brenda?” Oh, I’m so glad you asked, let me explain.

A few days ago when talking about my upcoming birthday, Jonah started telling me that he was going to make me something.  Well, that’s no surprise because he is my little creator.  Because they’re not allowed to get tape or use a stapler or anything like that without permission, he went ahead and told me days ahead that he would need at least 4 pieces of tape for my birthday gift.  Then, he started telling me that he was trying to think about how to cut a “v” out of a piece of paper (and the word necklace was used several times).  Are you getting the picture?  You were really wanting to see me at church with a paper and tape necklace on, weren’t you?  Yea, go ahead and admit it, you were laughing!

Well, when I was telling Grandma this story and saying I aught to find someone to send him home with that can help him make jewelry or a scarf or something, she said she had a scarf that he could have and told me to send him in (we were about to leave her house to head to AWANAs at church).  I sent him back in saying that Grandma needed him and he came back out to the van within a couple of minutes carrying a brown sandwich bag and a huge smile.  Whew!  Problem solved, I don’t have to wear a paper necklace.  Thank you, Grandma!  But, wait, Grandma motioned for me to come over to her where she proceeded to inform me that he STILL plans to make the necklace!!  Now what?

So, now on to Levi.  He had been trying to figure out how to get to a store to buy me something for my birthday and here it was Sunday night (my birthday being on Tuesday and him knowing Jake was at work and would not be home until Monday night) and there was basically no way he could get to a store (without me) before my birthday.

Of course I had stated over and over that they did not need to get me anything, but Levi was almost in tears about not being able to do anything for me.  He really wanted to buy me something (and Jonah obviously was GOING to make me something).  So, I put them to bed (Levi upset and distraught) and then remembered my friend, Amber who is a JuJuBelle consultant.

So short-story-long (LOL), I explained the problem and she graciously offered to have them at her house for them to CREATE me some jewelry that they could BUY with their own money.  Win-win-win!  And, yes, it worked.  Jonah was satisfied with the necklace he had made me at Ms. Amber’s and has not mentioned the paper necklace again J.  Yay!  Thanks so much, Amber. 

This is the bracelet Levi made for me (the L and J for Levi and Jonah, the purple stone to represent Jonah’s birth month (February-amethyst) and the blue stone to represent Levi’s birth month (March-aquamarine) and the heart because he loves me!

This is the necklace Jonah made.  He said the cross was because he was saved (I added that the black represented before salvation and the white after—just to explain why a 43 year old woman is wearing a zebra print cross), the flip-flop and star fish are because I like to go to the beach, the flower is because he loves me and the stones are just because he thought they were pretty.

 

So, you’re now probably thinking, “Okay, so that’s why Brenda’s birthday was more special for her than usual.” And you would be right, but there’s more! 

I took the boys to Amber’s house after the play-date in the park and now I had an hour to waste and nothing I needed to do.  So, I decided to peruse a local antique store that I’d never been in (that was right down the road from gymnastics where Amber would take my boys when they were done with their jewelry making).  It’s a little funny that I even went in there because I’m not an antique shopper, but there was nothing else to do, so, why not?  While in there, I found a pair of Gap jeans for $5 and a Vera Bradley purse for $15.  I’ll pause a moment for those of you who know me to finish laughing (I barely recognize name brands, much less sport them).  Okay, are you done laughing?  Then we’ll move on. 

 

NOPE!  I’m still not done!!!  Are you believing this keeps going (from a family who barely recognizes adult birthdays at all)? 

Totally out of the blue, with her not even knowing it was my birthday, a friend calls me Monday night to find out what my plans are for Tuesday.  She is just looking for some company and social time and called me (hmmm… isn’t that strange?).  No, seriously, we do enjoy each other’s company, but we seldom get together (you can count on one hand how many times in a year we get together).  So, for her to call the night before my birthday (with her not knowing it was my birthday) and invite me over ON my birthday—well, I was just in “spoil-me-rotten-and-make-a-big-deal-over-me” heaven!

 

So, while Levi & Jake went hunting today, Jonah and I went and spent the day with my friend Kanani and her three sons.  I’m so glad she called!  I had a great time fellowshipping with her as usual (and, of course, Jonah had a wonderful time playing on her “river beach” with her two younger sons). 

And now as I sit here (after an hour or so long conversation with another friend who I seldom talk to—she called to tell me happy birthday), I’m sipping my coffee and feel quite content to be another year older.  So, join with me as I end my special day—Happy birthday to me~~~ Happy birthday to me~~~…

Jonah took this picture of me wearing my new birthday jewelry.  He cut off my head, but he got the necklace and bracelet in there ;)