Since it’s spring, night will soon turn into sunrise.
I hear sleeping noises coming from above me and from down the hall.
My sister asked if I would maybe share some special birthday memories.
There really are too many.
If someone tells you birthday celebrations are for children, don’t believe them. Don’t agree. They are certainly wrong.
Some of my treasured birthday memories are from recent years. Well maybe not so recent but closer than childhood.
There was the 40th and the 50th. Milestones. Mother and sister flown into town by a generous husband, children brought back from the far reaches of our land and laughter and surprises and tears and good food. And Friends. Friends are such a gift.

But the sweet, precious recollections of the early days are of
sunshine, dining room tables filled with girls in (never white because that was just not practical at all)dresses. After school parties. I don’t know that I ever, as a child, went to a Saturday birthday party. They were just always after school. From the setting of the sun the night before until the final bell of the day rang the next afternoon, the excitement mounted. Such joy to be the center of attention. To have friends who bounced around in their desks and caused many a teacher to end her day with a headache and a hoarse voice.
I often received unwanted attention on this (and many other days)
“Pamela House I can hear you at the end of the hall”. “Sit down and be quiet”.
Some things never change.
At our house, The House house, there was a chocolate cake, hidden (although I always knew it was there), until just the right moment. It had chocolate icing of course and baked into that cake were treasures of nickels and dimes, wrapped in waxed paper to be discovered when you received your piece at dessert time. Oh the thrill of finding one of those waxed morsels.
But from time to time there was an angel food cake with 7 minute frosting that sat in thick, foamy curls. If you weren’t careful it left pink (always pink) bits on your cheeks as you ate it.
Of course there were ‘the bumps’ and it’s a miracle we don’t all have back troubles, as well as ‘a pinch to grow an inch’.
Loot bags were, a coloured paper cupcake liner at each place with a few penny candies inside. Of course these were eaten before the hotdogs or hamburgers were served so at the end of the party there was nothing to be sent home except smiles and happy memories of fun and games.
Simple days and great times. Another year lived. Reason to gather in celebration.
You are special. Let’s have a party.
No matter our age, we appreciate being honored.
It takes work to prepare a special day for someone but the joy it brings, the blessing for the future, is worth the effort.
Most good things are well worth effort.

This year I was here. I thought my little one was arriving at night but she was on the morning flight. I expected to do my day alone but she spent it with me. It wasn’t a huge birthday. A moderate one.
Two 5’s together. The ones that end in 0 are bigger and more troubling for sure.
I am okay with another birthday. As my father in law says, “it’s better than the alternative”. True!
I wish the wrinkles would stay away and the skin on my neck would not sag and the especially alarming one is my knees. For some reason they tend to remind me of the not so beautiful elephant. Good reason to be thankful for longer hemlines.
Here in the desert the hemlines are to the floor. Everywhere you look. This suits me. If you see me in this fashion trend, you will know why. It’s the knees!
We all get older and there’s nothing we can do about it except keep smiling and rejoicing that in fact we have lived another day and have made a few more memories, for us and for the ones we love.

This year my little one and I took ourselves on an adventure to my birthday dinner choice. A farm, half an hour from home in the desert. At this place they grow their own vegetables and use fresh local food. We had a wonderful time and watched the sun set and the lights come on. It was an evening to remember and that I will do.

I don’t get to spend a lot of time with these little ones of mine. When I do, it is precious and I cherish it.
As I get older my children do as well. They leave and live and work and grow and learn and make mistakes and grow more and I watch and love and pray.
The one I pray to loves them more than I ever could and He has a plan for them. He doesn’t need my help to grow them and show them the way to go.
My job is to pray that they will listen and yes, obey, as He opens doors and brings people to live life with them.

This was a good birthday. I am thankful for another one and will live this next year listening for direction and thankful that God also has a plan for me. As He wills I choose.

Bring on the future.