Birthday MONTH: Day 11

Today is about Reflection...

As you know, October is my birthday month and it's been very awkward for me to post daily as I usually only post maybe twice a week, if that much.

Furthermore, it's even more awkward to be posting about "myself" and making this month all about me.

I'm really a private person in so many ways and although it may not seem that way because I know so many of you...it is true.

~ (you just bring out the best in me!) ~

~ I always celebrate my birthday to it's fullest ~

Celebrating it for a whole month really started out as a joke because my birthday falls on October 1st.

Many of my friends and family were always late in flipping their calendars from September to October and therefore days later, they realized that they missed my birthday. They would feel terrible and I would always bounce back with a funny answer like "That's okay...We have the whole MONTH of October to celebrate!!!!"

That's how this "Birthday MONTH" began.

ok.  I'll be the first one to admit that I am one spoiled wife, mother, sister and auntie and I was one heck of a spoiled daughter too.

What I'm trying to say is...

It shouldn't take a birthday to have a celebration.

I received the Birthday card above from my big sister Sherry. I opened it about an hour ago and I laughed at the cover thinking she really knows me well! (It IS all about ME!!!) 

and then cried when I read the inside...

Sounds innocently funny and sweet enough, right? To most of you, it should.

But to me, it really is priceless as this card was sent from MD Anderson in Houston. Sherry's husband Freddie has been fighting a brave battle with cancer for the past 11 months.  Yet, they found the time to think of me on my birthday and most importantly, Freddie was well enough to sign my birthday card and that made it OH so special to me...the best gift ever!!!

We should celebrate EVERY DAY because we are fortunate enough to wake up and hug our kids, kiss our spouses and if you're really fortunate...you can still tell your parents that you love them.

This is my first birthday without my Dad. This is my 7th birthday without my Mom. I have to admit that I felt rather empty when my phone didn't ring at 7am on the morning of my birthday, waking me up and making me angry that they would call so EARLY in the morning to wish me a "Happy Birthday Dodie Dodie!!" (eeerrrr) There was like 12 more hours in the day, why did they have to call so early???

Today, I would have answered the phone happily at 3am just to be able to hear their voice again.

Therefore...it's all about reflection and believe me when I say this to you...you're never too old to learn.

Some of us already possess that wisdom.

Check out what this 17 year old sent me...

My little niece Payton went to the "Making Strides" Breast Cancer Walk a couple of weekends ago. She bought this t-shirt and sent it to me for my birthday. I opened it up this afternoon and cried some more! Not that it's a sad thing but she remembered that when her and I spent the weekend together a few months ago, I saw someone wearing one like this and I mentioned to her that I loved it. I loved it because I have a very good friend who is a breast cancer survivor (for 13+ years) and she's a Saints fan and I would have loved to get one for her.

So Payton, if you are reading this...your big-hearted gift to me is now a huge-hearted gift for a breast cancer survivor!!!! I'm passing it along to my best friend (Miss Janet) and telling her about our story :)

There's a LOT of reflection going on in my neck of the woods today, thanks to a thoughtful and loving 17 year old and a big sister who sat praying during her husband's 7 hour surgery today.

Today IS all about you.

Every day should be all about YOU!

I'm going to sign out by sharing one of the sentiments Sherry always adds to the bottom of her emails when she sends us updates of Freddie...

Much love to you...LIVE your day and APPRECIATE it! 

(that's for you Team Berger)

:)))

See ya tomorrow!