My 53rd Birthday

Today is my 53rd birthday. I guess because I am an only child, my Mama always made a big deal out of my birthday. It carried into my adulthood and I have always loved birthdays. Even though I have always looked forward to my birthday there have been a few historical and personally poignant memories associated with it. Just this year a friend of our's passed away, not today, but yesterday. I will post a picture of him with this blog. He was the school board memory from our district and a much loved local personality. He was the announcer for our high school football games for about the last 16 years. He had cancer and was awfully young to succumb to the disease, middle forties. He was a warm and loving person that ALWAYS hugged you and you told you he loved you EVERY time he saw you. As one person said about him, "He is proof that one person CAN make the a difference in the world" because he did make a positive impact on everyone.

I also remember Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream speech, although it was made two days before my birthday (7th I think, 1962), I remember watching it on television and the apprehension is provoked in my family as to

what was going to happen racially in our area and we did have some racial issues that year.

Princess Diana died the day after my birthday by the French calendar, it actually was my birthday by the American calendar and Joey punctured his lung in a water skiing accident that same day.....1996.

Of course, many first days of school were also on my birthday.

September 11, 2001 was not my birthday but it seems very close to my birthday and the memories of both are meshed together.

The final birthday that comes to mind tonight is eerily similar to tonight is the devastation of Hurrican Katrina on New Orleans. I remember hearing and watching on the news that the levees at broken and New Orleans was flooding, I remember watching on television people being rescued by helicopter from the roofs of their homes. Tonight as I write this I am again watching television and seeing people fleeing from New Orleans in anticipation of the destruction that will happen with Hurriane Gustav. I will remember them in my prayers.

Today I have spent washing and playing with Marah, she spent the night with us last night and is here again tonight. Middle son and wife, youngest son and girlfriend, Marah and her Mom, MIL and DH went to our favorite seafood restaurant for my birthday. My dad and oldest son seem to have forgotten the day. I talked with Dad this morning but he didn't mention, I'm sure he has forgotten. I don't guess oldest son doesn't care. I could pretend it doesn't hurt my feelings but that would be a lie.

Instead of leaving this post on a negative note I want to tell a funny story. Last night as we were coming home from the football game, Marah started singing songs for us that she had learned at VPK, her favorite was Baby Bumble Bee. Well, my DH always the jokester, starting singing a song for Marah........the name of it is My Ding A Ling.....if you get the chance listen to it on youtube. All the way home DH is teaching this song so she can go back to VPK next week and teach it to her class.....you will crack up if you will just listen.......you can see where this is going really fast. That is the beauty of grandchildren or in this case, a great niece, you can relax and just enjoy them being little and leave the tuff stuff to their parents. If you want a laugh to finish your day, listen to Church Barry's song, My Ding A Ling.........Happy Birthday!