Happy Birthday!

 

My birthday celebration with my boys!

As soon as I got to the front door, I knew we were having a great celebration! Peeking into the dining room I could see the room was full of cards and gifts and flowers and balloons. I smiled. Rachel knows how to celebrate birthdays, and since it was my birthday, it was all the more fun! As I walked in, the Indiana family were all there to greet me. “Happy birthday, Nannie!” could be head echoing through the halls of the house.

The four of them know there is nothing I love more than family and they are always there for me! I know I was smiling from ear to ear just being able to spend the evening with them! There would be fireworks too from the Fremont Music Festival, if the skies cleared.

As I walked further into the house, Rachel was literally bouncing off the walls! “Did you see the dining room?” she asked me. I nodded…oh my, yes, beautiful. And it was. Again, she asked, “Did you see the dining room?” Again, I nodded. On her third time asking the same question, I decided I better go investigate the dining room. Yes, I missed something. Two mannequins wearing Mardi gras masks were sitting at the table. They turned their heads as I burst into tears. It was Adam and Lisa. They flew up from St. Pete in the morning to surprise me! I am not used to quite a big surprise and I cried, of course. With my boys living a distance away, I don’t get to be with them too often, but now I had two out of the three.

We chatted about Abe. Wouldn’t it be nice if he could have come? But, he has four kids, and they just got back from vacation. Of course, I get it. Aaron was finishing up the brats and burgers (what, no fish?) when Rachel went to the door as more guests were streaming in. This time when I looked up, there he was, my youngest. I cried again. Now all three are together for my birthday! I do not think there is anything in the world that could have made me happier than my three together with me. With Rachel’s family joining us and family friends, we sat at the table for hours laughing, crying and telling stories. My boys are masters of storytelling!

There were times I sat back in my chair to watch. If I closed my eyes, I could see the three of them romping through the woods at the farm or riding their Big Wheels up and down the small hills. If I closed my eyes, I could hear them telling stories at the farmhouse table or talking late into the night. If I closed my eyes, I could see the three of them playing baseball for Angola High School. If I closed my eyes, time stopped.

The hours flew by as always happens when you want to stop time or hold on to it with both arms. I opened lovely presents…and funny ones too! We cleaned up and got our chairs situated on the balcony for the fireworks. The sky cleared and from their house, we had a perfect view! By 10:00 the skies were full of fireworks. It was a great display, and we all cheered as they lit up the sky.

The evening came to a close. “Hold tight,” I whispered to myself, as I hugged each child of mine. I drove home late with my windows rolled down to dry my tears in the wind. Luckily, we still had Sunday to be together. And then that was that. By Monday morning, I had theatre, and they all had flights home. It was short, but it was probably two of the happiest days of my life.

When our children are small, it seems as if they might stay that way forever. And then, as if some bit of magic or the passing of time, there they are all grown up. That is how it should be, but then again, it tears my heart apart when we have to leave each other.

I am so fortunate. This year’s birthday was a big one for me. When the candles were lit and after the song, everyone chanted, “Make a wish and blow out the candles.”  I smiled through my tears. “I don’t have any wishes. They have already come true,” I say as I look around a table full of love.