Belated Birthday Retrospective

It was also my birthday in May, but it deserves a special post. Not because I think I am important, but because it was a very unique year. I turned 25 on the 25th, the aniversary birthday, the golden birthday, there are many different names for it.

At any rate this year was one of my top 5 birthdays ever. The workday was not productive, because at about 9am out came the birthday cake (2 layer yellow cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkles, yumm!) I was often interrupted by phone calls and emails from friends telling me how old and mature I must feel now. I was taken to lunch by friends who I lived with at K-State (mitch, brad, matt, and david: Thanks again gents!). We went to KC Mastetpiece. (it was the first time i'd ever been there, but it was good)

The afternoon the same as the morning. Low on productivity, high on cake and ice cream, etc.

I went to my parents house for dinner steak and mashed potatoes. They showered me with love, and affection, and a few tangible items including and iPod Shuffle, which is sweet.

The evening was complete after a trip to Houlihans to enjoy a beverage, and the company of a lot of great friends. It felt great to be celebrated, and loved.

I thought that was the end of it. It was not. I experienced my first surprise birthday party on the following Saturday!

I was told I had to go with my friend Kelly to one of her friends engagement parties. I knew they had been fairly recently engaged, and some couples do that kinda thing, so I didn't suspect a thing. In order to complete the illusion I was informed that I need to dress nicely. Of couse I found my Sunday best, dusted it off, and looked like a pimp. Kelly came to pick me up, also looking quite nice, and informed me that her toilet was broken, and we needed to go back to her place to fix it. I should have been suspicious, but I'd already had a complete birthday, so with genuine concern, we rushed back to her house to fix the problem. I rushed into her house to a multitude of friends waiting in the dark to yell 'SURPRISE'. It was incredible. It was so fun to react, and to be reacted to as I stood red-faced in the doorway with everyone hand-shaking and back-slapping. It just feels good to be loved. On the fireplace there was big sign wishing me a happy birtday, and on it there were tons of pictures of date parties, hiking adventures, road trips, and other events. It was great to relive those memories too.

I hope that everyone gets a chance to feel loved like I did that week. It most definatly allowed me to reflect on how much I, in turn, love those who were there.

Sorry for the marathon post. See ya next month.