Birthdays....

In seven days it will be my Birthday. Officially it's at 11:30 a.m. on September 21. (I'm not going to tell you the year!).

I really don't remember have good birthdays. Something usually happens and I get disappointed. I know it's really nothing to worry about or get worked up over. But I don't understand how other people, even people in my own family get treated differently on their birthdays.

Take for instance when I was younger. My sister always had parties and stuff. Even when we were in Junior High, one of her boyfriends wanted to get some friends together for her birthday. Of course I was there, I had to be. My friends always had parties too, but me, nope. Don't remember parties. Just remember getting cards in the mail. I remember one year when it was my sister's birthday my grandmother sent her a suitcase full of presents, including a big, giant bag of M&M's. I figured, it's her birthday, of course she's going to get treated special. When my birthday comes around I'll be treated special too. But I never was.

Fast forward to my 40th Birthday. I was turning 40! That's a big step isn't it! (Especially since I was just in Junior High in the last paragraph!). Well, I guess I was expecting too much to have a party or some kind of celelbration, or even to spend the day with my friends. Nothing happened. I sat home, and did nothing. I think I even went to bed early. BUT! for my husband birthday his mom threw him a party! A party??? Yes, A Party! Cookout, Cake, Friends, EVERTHING! Must have been nice.

Last year for my birthday I was camping with my daughter's fifth grade class. I clearly told all of my friends that I would NOT be available to do anything on the day before, the day, or the day after my "official" birthday. I even told one friends that I wouldn't be available five times!
She, the friend even called me the weekend before I was to go camping to see if I wanted to go shopping (for her). I told her no, because I had to pack up all of the things that my daughter and I would need while we were camping. What do you think happened. The friends and three or four others met on my birthday and were wondering where I was, because they had a birthday cake for me. I told them I wasn't available. I told them I wouldn't be at the weekly meeting. SO, what do you think happened. They called my cell phone, and left me a message. The message went like this:

"Happy Birthday to You"
"Happy Birthday to You"
"Happy Birthday dear Jill"
"We're eating your birthday cake!"

And then:

"Where are you girl, we have your cake here for you."

Umm...didn't I say that I wasn't going to be available because I was going to go camping with my daughter? Ummm...yeah about five times if not more!

SO, that was that birthday.

Luckily I also have some other friends who DO remember what I say. And I had a nice celebration with them on the Saturday after I returned.

I think I am destined to have bad birthday Celebrations. The Kroger Bakery even messed up my 40th Birthday Cake. I was all color-coordinated with it in black and green. I went to pick up the cake and well, lets just say it really didn't look like it's picture at all!

What also upsets me is when you go out with a group of friends and they all have birthdays that you are supposed to be celebrating and you sing the Birthday Song to one person, and it's NOT you!

I'll get over it...

I always do!

BUT, this year is going to be a bit different. I am not going to sit at home waiting for anyone to do anything with me. I am going to go out and celebrate even if I have to do it all by myself. I've already got things mapped out in my head, and it's going to be a perfect day!

I'm thinking of buying myself a HUGE bouquet of flowers. Have lunch, where I want to have lunch. Get a manicure and a pedicure. Go to the Scrapbook Store and get something just for me. And I think I'm going to order Pei Wei for dinner and watch a movie.

Yes...this year is going to be different! I'll make certain of that!