Happy Birthday to Me!

I had the nicest birthday ever. I had awakened in the morning with a firm conviction that this would be a great day - 50 or not! I had a regular day with rehearsals and shopping for food, etc. I had people facebooking me happy birthday. I got phone calls and text messages all day from family and friends. I just felt so great. It's amazing how just a few kinds words during the day just energized me. A good lesson learned I think!

As I was walking out the door in the morning I was talking to my sis - Jayne - and telling her that the perfect day would be watching HSM3 but that I was forbidden to buy it so I couldn't watch it. Paul and I went to breakfast and his first present appeared on the table - HSM3! So any moment I was home I had it on!

As we sat down to dinner, another gift arrived at the table. It was a shirt that said 'I've done + the mathe = I'm Old! and a tiara that lit up. Yes, I wore it proudly for the evening. Pics to follow. Paul, Alli, Nic, and I made a scrumptious dinner with one of the best salads I have ever made - I'm pretty sure it was the feta cheese. We had bread with olive oil and toasted garlic, Rib Eye steak, and jumbo shrimp - boiled to perfection. I ate way too many of those! mmmmmmmmmmm!

Then onto present opening. I got a book with fifty things to do for your 50th year of life. They are funny, poignant, and interesting. It should be a good read! (I did have to buy new reading glasses today so I could see it better - I can't keep track of the 3 pair I already have!)

Then I got a gift bag with a note that Paul had worded very carefully. It was all about 'fun' and 'don't take this personally' 'it's intended to be fun'. I LOVED it! It was a bag with wrinkle creams, hair dye, lotions for old skin, reading glasses, etc. This will be used a lot and I took it how it was intended.

The next gift Paul had written in yet another card about all of the things that happened in the year 1959. Like Alaska and Hawaii became states. Like it is Simon Cowells year of birth. The first astronauts were introduced. And the list went on. The end of the list was that the best thing that happened that year was that Suzanne Jensen was born! The gift that followed was a bag full of movies released in 1959 and some fantastic cd's released in 1959. Like Porgy and Bess. Some Like It Hot. Sleeping Beauty and many more! Loved it!

Then Alli gave me the gift from the kids. They had a book published from shutterfly. Each of them took two pages and filled it with pictures of them and their families and a top ten list of why they love me! I laughed and cried and felt so humbled to be their mom! The pictures are priceless and the lists so kind.

The next event was a survey that Paul had sent out to each of the kids and inlaw kids. There were six questions for them to answer. For instance: What's the dumbest thing you've ever seen mom/zan do? Answers ranged from 'watching her try to do DDR' to 'attempting the worm'. Funniest thing I've seen mom do? Answers included 'Being thrown 12 feet in the air as she flipped her four wheeler and she broke her elbow. I tried not to laugh but it was really funny! to 'nuggie pants'! They were asked their favorite things about me. 'Best friend' 'Love for life' devotion to family' 'selfless' 'passion for life' etc. I would never have put those words to me so that was really sweet. Happiest I ever saw mom? It ranged from 'when she has a diet coke' to 'when she is looking at Dad'. There were just lots of answers. I had to guess who said each one. Paul had written up a survey for the four of us that were there to write down our answers. He emailed all of the kids the same thing of course, without answers. It was fun to see who said what and I actually guessed lots of them right! That was so thoughtful and I know it time away from everyones busy lives. Thank you thank you thank you! It was soooooooo fun to read.

The next gift - accompanied by a card of course - was a custom made mothers ring. Paul had gone to Main Street jewelers and had them make up a white gold band and had each of the kids birthstones put in them. It's beautiful and stunning. And sooooo unexpected. Here are the birthstones: diamond, amethyst,topaz, sapphire, and ruby. I will cherish this ring forever.

And the final gift - if you can believe there was more and it was accompanied by a card - read something along the lines of "Turning 50 is memorable and happens once in a lifetime. So I thought I should get you a once in a lifetime gift" I almost didn't want to open it. It was exciting! I made a few guesses. It was a trip. Not just any trip. A trip to go to NYC for the first week in September. Why in September you may ask? BECAUSE ITS THE US OPEN! He got us a package to spend the week at Flushing Meadows to watch the us open! Holy Smokes! Wow. I just can't even come up with the adjectives to express how excited I am! Also tickets to Mary Poppins and one of my super favs, West Side Story!

I know I got lots of gifts but truly the thought that went into each gift was so touching. Thank you to my beautiful family - my children, in-law kids, my sweet grandbabies, and last but certainly not least - the orchestrator of all of this, my best friend and hubby, Paul! I love all of you and can't express how grateful I feel for each one of you. You made me see that even thru some tough times of being married and of raising kids, the payoff is now! We get it as a family. Loves wins every time!

Happy Birthday to Me!