Happy Birthday To Me

Before my eyes were completely open I had a large construction paper card thrust in my hands. It said, "Happy Birthday Mom! I 'heart' U Mom! Happy Birthday Mom 'Smiley Face' To: Mom Love: Anna" It made my sleepy heart warm.

Lily made me a card too. Well, the oldest helped quite a lot I was informed. Still, Lily is in kindergarten. The effort was lovely and so was seeing her little signature. Just looking at it makes me happy.

My Sweetie made a me a wonderful cup of coffee and was just about to bring it to me but I shuffled into the kitchen before he could.

It seemed I had at least 35 kisses - ahem. thirty-five. - before the 3 older girls twirled out the door to school.

My in-laws called last night with birthday wishes, wanting to be sure not to miss me today.

My grandparents, in their beautifully sweet 83 year old voices just called me and sang Happy Birthday. Tradition.

And my day is still beginning.

I feel old. But I feel very loved.

Talk about irrational love - my girls demonstrate that to me so often. Some days I peck at them fiercely like a mother hen. "Peck-peck-peck-up your clothes. Stop peck-peck-pecking your nose. If I have to peck-peck-peck-up your shoes one more time.... NO! You can't have it, stop peck-peck-pecking at me!" (Use your best shrill, chickeny voice when you read those.)

So, with all that pecking, sometimes it amazes me when they fly freely to wrap their arms tightly around me with an I-love-you and today, Happy-Birthday, Momma.

I guess 35 isn't so bad. It's just a number, right? Although it is a half-way kind of number. Half-way to 40. Truth be told, just saying 40 gives me a cold chill. I don't feel 35. Most days I don't even feel 30. Maybe it's all the little people around me and especially all the love, sometimes irrational, that makes me feel so young. So, Happy Birthday to me. sigh.

**unrelated: For my family blog readers...there are some new posts up. ;-)**