Happy Birthday to Me

Birthdays are so much fun; everyone should have one at least once a year.

I told the preschool children it was my birthday.  Lacey insisted on coming back with a gift of wonderful peach scented hand soap and sweet handwritten card - Hope your wishes come true, she wrote.

Yippee!, my dear sweetheart brought me a beautiful bouquet of flowers.  We have had quite an evolution of gift giving through the years.  It's a miracle he puts up with me.  When we first married I didn't want flowers.  What a waste, I thought.  They just sit on the table, die, and then you throw them away.  I have changed my mind.  I love flowers.  They just sit on the table, look beautiful, die, and I get to throw them away.  Nothing left to keep, store, move from room to room, put in a box, pull out later, decide how emotionally attached, and discard years later.  I enjoy the present in the present.  

Sweet Debbie gave me a fun plant.  The flower is the leaves, only orange.  Does anyone know what kind it is?  I water it from the top, letting the water trickle down like a waterfall.  Crazy!

Andrew and Ashley brought me the most beautiful orchid plant.  I have only admired them, never having one of my own.  I love it.  In just a week I have seen two new blossoms. Another bonus with flowers, they keep on giving.

I have a favorite children's picture book, Caps for Sale.  In preschool we read and act it out.  My copy is old and small; with brittle pages taped together, and faded colors.  The story reads  a "red" cap, which looks orange.  I try to explain. The children cannot even hold it and that becomes a problem, because once you read a child a story they want it over and over.  Marcie and Walker gave a very thoughtful gift - as always. Wow! a new book, larger, brighter colors with the red cap truly red, and the children can hold it.  

Another favorite book of mine - The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  Zack and Blake were so excited to give me their gifts - malted chocolate easter eggs and a puzzle from the story.  Zack enjoyed holding it up after it was put together.

What a glorious day! After teaching Parenting with Love and Logic, I listened to my phone messages.  "Happy Birthday, to you..." was sung to me by my grandchildren.  They are priceless.