12.18.2008

Rejoicing in the day of birth....

Yesterday was my birthday.  I turned 27.  It was a perfect day.  I spent most of the day working, which is not a bad thing at all.  I had love and hugs from 600 kids all day!  Being at a place where you love and are loved, is a great place to be for your birthday.  I have never had a workplace make my birthday so special.  So, I am wholly thankful to God for a place I often call home:Northwest Elementary.  
I also received several wishes from the Facebook culture.  The birthday feature they have REALLY is nice. It's amazing how many people wish you a happy birthday that otherwise would not if it were not for the networking of Facebook.  I am thankful for my Facebook wishes. Oh and I can't forget the other internet love that was sent my way through e-mails and Gail's e-card. I love communicating through e-mail even more than I love communicating through facebook
My phone also rang several times with birthday wishes as well.  Those were mostly from family, the ones who are closet to my heart. The two best things about the invention of telephone are that yesterday it allowed me to have a conversation with my momma, even though she is 6 hours away, and I received my second favorite(my first favorite you will hear about last) birthday wish from my dad over the phone.  He left me a message(I didn't pick up cause I was already at work) on his way to work.  It made me cry. I love my dad and all the birthday traditions of song, flashlight interrogating, and even dancing that he has.  I am his princess, there is no doubt about that. I just miss all the streamer decorations, the sleighs and the cookie cakes and cheesecakes that he would buy for me.  Although I really think it was his excuse to buy those unhealthy treats so HE could eat some too.  I also missed the traditional christmas book from my mom with the notes inside that make my eyes soggy.  She always picked one that was a perfect reflection of something from the year before.  I love birthday traditions, I think they mean more to me than I thought!  
Although I may have never voiced to my husband how special these birthday traditions are, he somehow knew(maybe it's the fact that he would spend the night with John Ryan the nights before my birthday, years before we were even an item). He gave me my favorite birthday wish. Somehow he snuck a flashlight by the bed and as soon as my alarm went off yesterday  he turned to me and shined the flashlight in my face(which if you knew this tradition my dad has you would not perceive this as an annoying wakeup call) and did the traditional interrogation that my dad has always done for me for longer than I can remember.  He also sang the John Seaman Rendition of Happy Birthday  to me.  *sigh* It was wonderful.  Then he graced my office at lunch with flowers and a special poem. I love his poem, and I love when he writes them for me.  I will post the poem at the end. Please read it. And last, he ended the day with a fabulous meal at home at our table.  I would much rather have a swanky meal at home, with just him, over any nice restaurant any day.  Our best memories of rich conversation have come from our dinners at that table.  It's one of my favorite places in the world.  

It was a wonderful day, a memorable day.  I am 27 years old now.  Only 3 years away from 30 and I couldn't be happier.  I have no fear of aging because I come behind parents who have made EVERY season of life seem better than the one before.  Every day is beautiful, no matter how old you are. I hope that this year I don't take one day for granted, but realize EVERY beauty in it, savor each moment, and see every second as an opportunity to reflect the glory of God!

A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY IT WAS FOR ME!

Disclaimer about the poem:  For those of you who don't know, I am a school nurse at an Elementary school.  And my days often include volumes of vomit and giving kids clean undies to change into after they have had an accident!

Some Flowers for the Nurse by Tristan Summers

Some flowers for the nurse whose eyes 
Alone will make a fever die
And warm the heart with simple gaze
That tempers coldest winter days
Her work not done, she heals a cough
By taking pain and sorrow off
And putting on a coat of care
(Along with some fresh underwear)
Her patients well, she goes to lunch-
But wait! Now here's that little Munchkin
with the topsy-turvy-tummy
Oh my!!  Lunch does not sound as yummy
Anymore but with some ginger ale
And hugs and  kisses he'll be well
"Now what about that lovesick puppy
I left at home this morning.  Will he 
E'er get o'er this lovebug spell?
What shall I do to make him well?"
And so she goes about her day
Not cognizant of all the ways
Her tender heart and gentle care 
Have ruined this lovesick puppy's fare

Forever :)

Happy Birthday, Nurse Melissa.