Blessed Birthday

//February 27, 2006//

The sunrays shone radiantly through the trees, cascading long shadows past me as I lay in the hammock. O beautiful sunrise. Longing for this weather, it finally arrived.

One of the most blessed birthdays as of yet, for friends and family showered me with phone calls and thoughtful gestures. My grandma called to sing Happy Birthday as usual, brightening my day. Many friends called, posted notes on Facebook, an email from my Aunt, birthday cards in the mail, a text message and phone call from my sister, a call from my Pap, personal calls from my parents, and even a long distance call from Alyn in the Middle East! Dinner with my roommates, flowers, little gifts, a free movie voucher...Praise Your name, Lord! You are too good to me! Humbled by the blessings of today, I can only praise Your name!

Clear skies, I baked out in the Academic Plaza for a few hours-- some alone time and some time meeting with friends. The flag waved proudly with the tide of the wind, sending a soft, oh-so-familiar rapping noise as the flag beat and snapped in the wind; it's shadow danced in the grass playfully.

Confetti cake--a sweet memory of the past-- brought to recollection tonight when my roommates presented a homemade cake. My mom always baked a double layer, heart shaped confetti cake for my birthday with homemade frosting. My eyes never left her; I watched intently as she prepared this masterpiece. Oh how I admired her craftiness--oh how I knew her love for me. She doted on me as any mother would dote on her child. Not just any cake. No, a special cake indeed. When she turned her back, I'd take a swipe of frosting from the edge of the cake. Mmm, nothing beats Mom's homemade frosting. She meticuously spread the frosting. I helped but could never do it as smoothly and perfectly as Mom. She's a pro, I thought. The cooling racks held the cake up on a pedastal, making it easier to cover in frosting. Some how, my Mom never missed a spot. I always seemed to leave gaping holes as I ran out of frosting, while parts were spread too thin and others were in big globs. Frustrating. I eventually let Mom have the butter knife back--I let her finish it off. Beautiful. Now the hardest part: waiting, waiting until it's time to cut the cake. Those were the magic words: "Time to cut the cake." Once I got old enough Mom even let me cut my first piece. Big moments. Mom never let me eat in just an ordinary setting--she always decorated. Birthdays are special, she said. Streamers, twisted-like and pretty. Mom always made me feel like a princess. As much of a tomboy that I was, something about feeling like a princess appealed to me--spoke tenderlly to my heart.

Had a great conversation with my Dad. Apparently, if he had not been put in my life, then I might not be here today (confused? well, he's not my biological dad but is nonetheless, my Dad and always has been). He recaptured a memory of when I was very young and started choking on a hotdog. He said that if he hadn't been there I probably would have died since all my mom could do was scream and shake me. Ha, a serious matter but comical. I can just see my mom freaking out. My dad had to give me the heimlich maneuver. Certainly, that's not the only reason he's been in my life. O how I love my Dad. I think the sweetest story he tells is how he used to hold me in his arms when I was a baby and he would play guitar. How he could pull that off, I dunno. I was tiny and he had big arms, I suppose. He's Dad--dads can do almost anything, right? Maybe that is the reason I have such an affinity for guitar--he started me young.


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//February 28, 2006//

Nothing too spectacular today besides the weather! Even though I had to work away the day, I at least got to work at Asbury and keep the door open, enjoying this amazing day (at least as much as you can at work). I wanted to bail! Gosh it was gorgeous!

Sitting in the booth at Northside Garage, a dragonfly landed on my paper ever so suddenly yet inconspicuously. He proceeded to accept my finger as a perch. Then, just as he had appeared he flew off into the open sky, disappearing. Summer's a comin' right 'round the bend. I checked the status for my YMCA application and it is being processed right now. Things will fall into place by God's grace. Colorado, here I come.

Tonight is Andrea Bocelli and the like. I'm in a love-romance and oldies mood-- music wise that is. Gotta have some Natalie Cole, Celine Dion, the Carpenters, Patsy Cline, Frank Sinatra, Unchained Melody etc.. Oh, and No Woman No Cry--a little different genre, but a sweet song at that. Some others I won't list out...this music makes me feel like I should be in NY City or somethin'. Perhaps. When I get to the reggae I know I should be walking down the beach and not sitting in this room!