Friday, May 7, 2010

Gettin It (Somewhat) Right

Yesterday was my wife's birthday. She turned...

Do you really think I was going to tell you? After being married for 8 1/2 years, I have learned SOME things. One thing is that birthdays are more important to some than others.

I've never been one for ceremonies, pomp and circumstance or "tradition." It wasn't really played up in the house I grew up in, so it has been (and still is) tough to make the transition for those who DO find it important.

Here's an example: my wife's family were/are big "stocking" people. By that I mean that at Christmas, what was/is in your stocking was/is a big deal. Treats and little do-dads were always a hit. Now, in my house, there were more Christmases than not where there was nothing in our stockings. Not due to being poor, but just because it wasn't what we did.

The same focus goes for birthdays. For my family they were important, but not all consuming. That's not to say that it was an obsession for my wife's family - just different.

So for 7 1/2 yeas it has been hit-and-miss for me when it comes to birthdays. Some years it's okay. Some years, not. It gets harder with more kids and projects. Hey, isn't mowing the lawn a GREAT birthday gift?

Anyway, this year, I decided to do it right. Not "BIG." Just right.

It is a birth"day," right - not a birth"moment." So my wife's birthday started in the morning with breakfast and ended with a nice dinner. Some cool stuff in between as well.

Oh, one more important thing. My wife was adopted. And after the passage of Roe v. Wade. So the fact that she's even here is a miracle. Something to be celebrated EVERY day, not just May 6th.

Happy Birthday, honey. Let's do this again next year!