a mom's birthday

Today is my birthday. I am 36 years old. I've been thinking 36 for a few months now, so I had to stop and remember if I turned 36 or 37 today. But it's 36. I had a great day, which actually started last night. I had a meeting, so Tim took the kids birthday shopping (and out to eat at La Rancherita -- NO FAIR!!). I returned home around 10pm to a quiet and dim house, but was greeted by a huge "SURPRISE!!!!" from the kids (they hid in the office until I came around the corner). It made my day! The kids get so excited about birthdays!! So they let me open my card and present early because today was going to be really busy. The card (homemade by Janie) read: DON'T JUST STAND THERE! YOU'RE 36 FOR CRYIN' OUT LOUD!!!!! My gift was five new scents from Bath & Body Works....individually chosen by Tim and the kids...how fun is that???

Today was, in fact, crazy. It was the birthday of a mom. Here's how it went:
8:30am - termite guy showed up for yearly inspection
9:00am - Tim and Sam brought donuts and chocolate milk home for fun bday breakfast
9:30am - got a couple of items out for the mail...started schoolwork...history, writing, spelling, math...reading, etc)
Noon - made lunch (ate the rest of Tim's La Rancherita burrito)
1:00pm - finished schoolwork, cattle-prodded older two to get their math done and stop paying attention to four-year-old in dog costume
2:00pm - remembered to do a white load so Sam's baseball pants would be clean for his first Little League game tonight (why they needed to be clean? Not sure)
2:30pm - remembered to do a dark load so Dad's HUGE coach's t-shirt would hopefully shrink, again for the game
3:00pm - took kids to Target so Joe and Sam could purchase the Lego Star Wars item they have saved for and was on sale for a short time....picked up toothpaste while I was there, and a Diet Coke (a little birthday indulgence). Explained four times to Janie why we didn't have time to stop by Mrs. Maxwell's so she could pick out some AG clothes to spend her money on..that we'd have to plan that another time.
4:00pm - got home...remembered to put darks in the dryer so Dad's shirt would be dry for game
4:30pm - assisted with some assembly of Legos, mostly gave impressed comments about how stormtrooper clones were born in a factory
5:00pm - Got Tim and Sam out the door for the game...t-shirt wasn't dry yet
5:30pm - realized dryer wasn't heating (we may need a new one, this happens a lot). Used hair dryer on t-shirt, drove down the hill to the ball diamonds to deliver shirt and see the first inning.
6:00pm - left ball diamonds with Janie, Joe, and Pete to pick up friend Joel and take the kids to Pizza Night at AWANAS.
6:30pm - dropped kids off at AWANAS, headed back to ball diamonds to see the rest of the game, froze my buns off on the bleachers, but had fun watching the first Little League game (realized we're into a whole new season of life)
8:00pm - picked up Janie, Joe, and Pete from AWANAS, headed home.
8:30pm - had cake and ice cream with my family, got lots of hugs and kisses
9:00pm - got everyone tucked in, chewed out one child for lollygagging (sp? I love that word) until 9pm with yet unbrushed teeth. Gave (and received) more kisses and hugs.
9:30pm - sat down. considered eating the rest of the chocolate cake, but did not. yet.
10:00pm - Checked email, enjoyed many bday greetings via email and facebook, listened to exhausted hubbie snore on the couch, observed with great lack of motivation the piles of garage sale items waiting to be organized and priced. again considered eating the rest of the chocolate cake.

So that's it in a nutshell. I'll bet you other moms' birthdays might look similar? Can I get an amen to that? It was a great birthday. My husband brought me a fun breakfast, and at cake time refused to let me cut the cake into pieces without singing and blowing out candles first. My eight year old had his first Little League baseball game...he is so proud to be in Little League. My kids finished up the year in AWANAS, and I'm so thankful for the people who make that program happen and work with our kids week after week. A dear friend left a card and beautiful Begonia on my porch while we were gone. Chocolate cake ('nuff said). My kids GOT ALONG today (glory hallelujah!!!!!)okay, for the most part - the acts of violence were minimal. I got birthday hugs and kisses all day, which is just the best. AND the termite man said there were no problems (SIGH of relief...we've had termites. It's not cheap).

Would I have rather spent my birthday at a spa? You know, maybe some year that would be fun. I actually have in my desk a gift certificate for a massage/manicure/pedicure at William Wesley. Thankfully it doesn't expire (at least it says it doesn't), because it has been in my desk for FIVE YEARS!!! :) Don't think I'm being a martyr here...I could use it anytime...I just keep forgetting to. Anyway, this year's birthday was great because it was full of life and full of love, and really that's all I can ask for. And with that, I thank you for reading this very long post, and I bid you goodnight. (still considering that chocolate cake...)