Happy Birthday to me - Yesterday!

Yes, yesterday was my birthday - the 57th one to be exact!

We do our June birthdays along with

Father's Day for our big celebrations.

But for the past few days I had so many phone calls,

cards in the mail and on email,

and visitors too!

Went to lunch and a little shopping with

Kari and Megan and then

Karsten and Kim came by after work.

Russ and I went out to dinner in the evening.

And then the highlight to the day -

I took the grill apart to get all the grease

out so it would not catch fire for the

barbeque for Sunday!

Nothing more humbling than cleaning a greasy grill!

;-) ;-)

Actually have to say that yesterday was my second

hardest birthday -

the first being the one right after my mom died

and the second yesterday being the first one after losing my dad.

Sharing the day with the ones that "birthed you" is something

special - and that won't be happening anymore.

Ohhhh, didn't mean for this to sound sad!

But, remembering those special times makes me even more

determined to always celebrate the day I birthed

my kids - what special days those were!

Someone told me once that they don't celebrate

their kids birthdays any more - after all they

are over 18 and not children anymore.

Bah, Humbug - God changed my life

forever on April 12, February 20, April 27 and June 3

and I plan to celebrate those gifts as long as

God gives me breath!

And thanks to so many of you who sent birthday thoughts, prayers and wishes!