Birthday Thoughts

It has not been my official birthday for over a week, but I was thinking about what I wanted to write about and this came to mind.

Last week, on the actual week of my birthday, my family went out to dinner and I got some cards from my siblings and my Mom, and a new phone for my big gift this year. I was (and am!) very thankful and made sure to express that. But, as I was thinking, I realized how unique all of that really is.

Both Spencer and Max spent hours drawing up pictures of a TV show that I enjoy (quite a lot, to be honest) and watch with them a lot. I kept them and got help taping them up on my bedroom walls. Max would remind me his isn’t quite done yet, but I still have his little display picture right where I can see it.

Emily spent I don’t know how long looking up how to write out words and phrases in a made-up alien written language from the TV show and carefully drew out all of these symbols on a piece of paper. I did the same thing with her card, and I can glance over and look right at it.

My Mom wrote a 21-point list about some (a list she said she had to really focus not to write even more of) of the things she loves about me — I’ll try to put that somewhere special, too.

And my Dad got me a new phone that works better and has more space than my older one. I didn’t “need” that, but he got it anyway, because he loves me.

They didn’t have to do that; I would have been totally happy with a simple card with a sentence or two, and I would know they loved me so very much. But each of them took a moment to express creativity to celebrate me and to celebrate the things I love to watch and talk about.

I love my family and I am more thankful for them then I could ever fully say.

I wanted to make sure I wrote that down where everyone could see it.