As an adult, it seems that birthdays become just another day in our monotonous routine. Maybe you wake up to a few text messages or phone calls that remind you that you're older. Maybe a co-worker puts a thoughtful card on your desk. Maybe you even go out to eat and hear the wait staff sing you a spin-off of the birthday song. However, not much is memorable about "grown-up birthdays".
That is, unless you make it memorable.
The first birthday I had when dating my husband was something I remember like it was yesterday. He had my sweet cousin (my roomie at the time) lay out a new outfit, complete with matching accessories. I spent forever and a day doing my hair and makeup to look perfect for the evening and anticipating what was to come. Once ready, I waited for my knight-in-shining-armour to pick me up. After claiming to have forgotten something at his apartment, we walked in to find a steak dinner by candlelight. He surprised me with the beautiful canvas art I had my eye on before handing me tickets to see "The Lion King" on Broadway. The dinner was delicious, my gifts were thoughtful, the musical was phenomenal, and the added surprise of friends and family meeting up with us later that night was the icing on the cake.
Thus, the birthday tradition began.
Knowing that Joshua had made my day so perfect, I had a lot of pressure to measure up. Therefore, I put on my thinking cap and saved up the cash to enjoy a weekend getaway. True, I cannot remember what gift I bought or the card I picked out. What I do remember, however, are the memories we made while going to a unique city and stuffing ourselves on fancy dinners and fresh bakery goods...falling in love all over again.
Over the years, we have gone horseback riding, taken a trip or two down memory lane, enjoyed relaxing days at the spa, watched the animals at the zoo, encountered loved ones for surprise parties, and even jumped off a building. Therefore, Joshua's thirtieth birthday was set to be nothing less than spectacular.
Planning for my hubby's big party was something I invested in for months. I managed to save up money, researched pinterest, and contacted the involved people to make sure it went off without at hitch. His blackjack-inspired surprise party would happen approximately 48 hours before we hopped on our first plane ride to good old Las Vegas. I had every black-and-white party decoration lined up for an elegant catered dinner while the kiddos showed their talent at go-fish.
That is until life decided to get in the way.
In the weeks leading up to Joshua's birthday, we had our consultation for our fertility treatments. We scheduled our visits and marked the dates on the calendar. In fact, exactly two weeks prior to the "big day" we had our first testing.
I found myself staring at the itemized expense sheet as I reviewed the trip itinerary I had saved online. I reviewed the thousands of dollars that had to be put down up-front, the medication costs, the ultrasounds and physician fees...the list continued. I added the costs of decorations and the customized cake topper I had inquired about. I began cutting corners and taking things off "the list". My stomach hurt as I began weighing my options and trying to make things work. My husband is my world. Seeing him happy is what I work towards day after day.
Then, I remembered the reason we chose to do fertility treatments in the first place. I thought about the way he plays with our nieces and nephew, listening to them squeal in excitement. I could see his smile of pride as he made them feel like they were on top of the world. He is so happy when he is with them.
This is the gift I want him to have.
I want to let him tease our baby by playing with my tummy when they start to kick. I want to watch him in action in the moments leading up to their birth. I want to see his strong hands shake as he cuts the cord. Then, I want to hand him the greatest blessing in the world as he becomes "daddy".
So, I started fresh and began watching the weather in preparation for a "not so flashy" birthday party, I realized that any hope of outdoor plans were a wash. I created a last minute back-up plan for a quaint family dinner and cake at my parents' house. Then, the morning of I hustled around as my momma helped me cook for everyone. I frosted the cake just as I received a phone call from the birthday boy that he was off work early.
Any other day I would have been overjoyed to have some extra time with Joshua. However, this meant I had to rush back home to avoid spoiling the surprise. I left momma in charge of the last minute decorating and crossed my fingers that everything would work out.
Driving up to their house, Joshua immediately noticed the vehicles of each of our family members. Walking up to the front porch, I whispered "happy birthday" to my hunky hubby and his face lit up as he pulled me close and thanked me for everything I had done.
We enjoyed dinner, cake, and a LIVE performance (courtesy of our pre-teen nieces) with all of our family nearby before Joshua opened his presents and we called it a night.
Here's to making your wishes come true and making your next birthday the best yet.
No comments:
Post a Comment