Happy Birthday Indeed! or Nice Save Anne!

Today was birthday number 36. I've never been one to lie about my age, but I'm thinking now that I may want to stop counting. It started out as a decent day. I didn't have to drag anyone out of bed or carry anyone kicking and screaming to the car to get us all to school on time. Jack FM serenaded me with U2, Beatles' "Revolution," AND Duran Duran all in a row on the drive into town. (I took that as my gift from them!) I got the school store all stocked and ready to go for the day and I even managed to turn in my kids' picture money. We did have a full day of kids at work, but all three classes were amazingly good. In fact, the class before lunch said "aww" and sounded all disappointed when I told them it was almost time to dismiss so they could eat. That NEVER happens. (I took that as another gift.) My boss came through with a double fudge cake, and throughout the day; emails and MySpace messages streamed through their respective Inboxes wishing me a Happy Birthday. Our Gypsy tickets just happened to be for tonight, but I thought that worked out well as a celebration; especially since I was feeling pretty low-key about the whole "one year older" thing.

I got home with the kids, cut them each a slice of office birthday cake as their after-school snack, and everyone was feeling pretty festive. I started looking through my closet and thinking about what I was going to wear...and then I made a big error in judgement. I decided to check my email one last time to see if anyone else remembered my birthday and to write down the directions to the restaurant where I was meeting my friends for dinner. I should have called some one's cell instead. I got an email that, to put it mildly, was hurtful. So hurtful, in fact, that it made me do that crying/shaking thing that I hate. Rather than enjoy my birthday, I spent my evening (even during dinner AND the play) trying to decide whether it was meant to be that way. My wonderful friend Lanie (who has known me since I was 15) said whether it was intentional or not, if it hurts, it hurts and that I have a right to my feelings. (I knew there was a reason that I still liked her after all these years.) Exactly what was written is irrelevant as I freely acknowledge that it was likely not a personal attack-just a very harsh critique of my shortcomings as a leader and an event planner, and I freely admit that I'm not great at either one. However, this particular event is the last thing I will ever do for the school as a PTA President and now there is no way that evening will be any kind of special to me at all. It will now be one big walk on eggshells. And frankly, I'd be a no-show if I thought I could get away with it.

And so, I came home from an evening that held a lot more promise at 4 p.m. than it actually delivered when the Civic Center curtain went down at 10:30. (And here I was thinking the worst birthday I would ever have would always be the one when I was dumped on my 16th birthday by the first boy I ever kissed. I know, Kyle who?)
Even my grandmother noticed how sad I seemed when I picked up the kids, but frankly I didn't feel like expending the energy it would have taken to explain the situation so I told her I was tired and sad about being older. THAT she could appreciate, so she left it alone. You might ask who would be foolish enough to check her email yet again upon returning home, and well, now you have your answer. But this time, it was a good email. Not only did Anne wish me a Happy Birthday, she wrote a whole blog post about it, complete with pictures (Yes, that is the Mesa temple in picture #2 and the OKC temple in picture #3). And really...that's all I needed to make it a good day after all. Thanks friend, if I had to endure Middle School, meeting you in the 6th grade may be the only redeeming thing that ever came from it. Well, that and the whole restored gospel thing. ;>)