Every year on or within a few days of my birthday I eat a serving of Chicken Scaloppine from Romano's Macaroni Grill. It's my favorite restaurant and my favorite meal full of carbs, fat and more calories than I should have in a week. And you know what? I enjoy EVERY last bite. I look forward to this day and as any of my friends can tell you, I talk about it for a long time before it actually happens. And that first bite NEVER disappoints me. It's always better than I remembered and makes me very, very happy. Today was the big day and it was almost enough to inspire me to do the "happy dance".......but not quite.
Perhaps more special to me is the tradition of enjoying my favorite meal with my favorite girlfriends. This year it was a smaller crowd, but included my best friend with whom I have not celebrated a birthday for 5 long years. It also included someone I've known for 18 years but not really let KNOW ME until very recently. What could be better than girlfriends dishing about life over Italian food, real Dr. Pepper and rich chocolate cake?
It's the relationships that mean the most to me, the food is just a delicious bonus. This year I celebrated with a lot of people, and boy did my party start early! Last weekend I enjoyed time with my family. I cherish the handmade birthday card made by my 9-year-old niece, the wobbly signatures of my nephews and my 14-year-old niece being sure to sign her full name, in case my memory fails..... She really does think I'm that old!! I had lunch with my mom at a wonderful Greek restaurant and enjoyed a yummy strawberry cake from my staff. Saturday I enjoyed the company of some other really special friends and then dinner with a close girlfriend 2 nights in a row. Although I think she invited me over tonight because I cried last night at dinner and she was worried!!! Today I received many birthday wishes from friends scattered throughout the country - feeling special and cherished is not familiar to me, but this week I felt both in spades.
All in all I can see that through my relationships God is answering my heartfelt prayers for community and intimacy. I can see everyone's fingerprints all over my life and I'm not trying to wipe them away, I've come to love those smudges. And I'm enjoying knowing and being known, even when it rocks my world.
Perhaps more special to me is the tradition of enjoying my favorite meal with my favorite girlfriends. This year it was a smaller crowd, but included my best friend with whom I have not celebrated a birthday for 5 long years. It also included someone I've known for 18 years but not really let KNOW ME until very recently. What could be better than girlfriends dishing about life over Italian food, real Dr. Pepper and rich chocolate cake?
It's the relationships that mean the most to me, the food is just a delicious bonus. This year I celebrated with a lot of people, and boy did my party start early! Last weekend I enjoyed time with my family. I cherish the handmade birthday card made by my 9-year-old niece, the wobbly signatures of my nephews and my 14-year-old niece being sure to sign her full name, in case my memory fails..... She really does think I'm that old!! I had lunch with my mom at a wonderful Greek restaurant and enjoyed a yummy strawberry cake from my staff. Saturday I enjoyed the company of some other really special friends and then dinner with a close girlfriend 2 nights in a row. Although I think she invited me over tonight because I cried last night at dinner and she was worried!!! Today I received many birthday wishes from friends scattered throughout the country - feeling special and cherished is not familiar to me, but this week I felt both in spades.
All in all I can see that through my relationships God is answering my heartfelt prayers for community and intimacy. I can see everyone's fingerprints all over my life and I'm not trying to wipe them away, I've come to love those smudges. And I'm enjoying knowing and being known, even when it rocks my world.
