Happy Birthday Mom

I would like to think that people look at my life and see a person who makes the most of the little things, but, when I look at my life, I see that I actually neglect some things that might seem like they are little, but they are really big. Like birthdays. My kids birthdays are always a big deal, but we tend to downplay grown-up birthdays around our house too much. I don't know why. I mean, personally, I love being made to feel special and knowing that others care enough to celebrate my presence here on earth. Doesn't everyone?

Before this year, I know I was guilty of blowing past my mom's birthday. I didn't skip her birthday, and I never missed calling or seeing her, but we didn't really celebrate every single year. I think it started when I was in college and Mom's birthday fell the same weekend I left for school each year. Then, after college, we lived in other states for a total of 7 years, and, even after moving to Ohio, we still lived an hour and a half away until April. All of these things are excuses, of course. I didn't give my mom what she deserved on her birthday. That's not going to happen again.

Mom's birthday was Friday. I called Dad and he decided to have a gathering for her birthday this afternoon. Our friends, the Hershbergers, joined us in a simple celebration. I baked Mom a cake and decorated it in her favorite colors. I've never decorated a cake for my mom, and I absolutely loved doing it! We had a cook-out and sang happy birthday and blew out candles.

As I was standing in front of Mom holding the cake, singing and waiting for her to blow out the candles, I had to blink a little. We didn't know if Mom would have this birthday. All those birthdays I missed celebrating, missed making her feel as important as she is to me, ran through my mind. This birthday, we celebrated not just the fact that Mom turned 54. We celebrated that Mom is HERE. With us. Celebrating our milestones and holidays with us as well as hers.

 More celebrations lie in our future. I plan to be celebrating with Mom next June as she reaches 1 year of remission. I'm so glad to have my mom with us. God is good, isn't He?