I used to hold to the principle, "A woman who will tell her age will tell ANYTHING!" Then, at age 48, I lay on my deathbed and now I praise God that He saved me from an early grave. I am HAPPY to say that I am alive and well and, as I age, I will rejoice more every year that He spared my life. Besides, age is a matter of thinking and each day I'm thinking younger and younger since I'm shedding the old self-destroying habits that made me feel old even in my 20's.
So here I am on the last day of age 52. Robert had gone to town that morning and I was pretty sure that it was, at least in part, to get me a birthday present, as this has happened before. When he got home, he was empty handed but I know better than to ask questions. When I got out of the bathroom, I was surprised to have this picture snapped of me as I entered the dining room right before lunch.....
but then I saw this in the center of the table. PRETTY AND IT SMELLS SO GOOD TOO!!!!!!!!!!!
The only sad thing about that day is that Cora had to go to work. She just couldn't find anyone to work for her on Christmas Eve--aren't you surprised? This is what our Sabbath table looked like with one place setting missing. ):
Robert had bought 3 bottles of bubbly at Sam's to celebrate my birthday. We decided to crack one open, even though Cora was at work, as there were still 2 left for my birthday. This is apple juice with FIZZ. Ask Jacob how he liked a great, big swig of this. :)
Robert breaking the seal before the feast of Sabbath.
Now this is Christmas day with our sweet Cora at home with us. I'm not sure if I've shared why we don't celebrate Christmas anymore, but we are all happy that we have a birthday in the family to celebrate instead. These are the precious people who made this my happiest birthday yet. I'm not sure why Andrew was making such a goofy face, but he makes me chuckle many a time with his comic expressions.
Here I am in my new birthday dress. I have avoided red clothing for years (a long story) but I sure felt special in it this day.
We decided that whomever gave me a gift would come and sit by me and tell me all about it. Cora bought me a new piano solo book by someone she has admired for a long time. Lorie Line arranges hymns and patriotic songs in the most lovely fashion and then plays them on the piano with such heart that it is impossible not to sigh with delight--but I'm getting ahead of myself.
Here Cora was giving me the piano solo book, THE HERITAGE COLLECTION II by Lorie Line.
It is full of WONDERFUL arrangements which, I might add, we have both enjoyed already. :) Thank you, Cora dear!
Lady was not at all interested in what was going on--she was just happy to be inside on such a cold day!
Jacob was next. When he gave me this package perfectly wrapped with a kittie on the front, I couldn't help but wonder out loud. "So Jacob, is this Mylo?"
He hesitated but said, "No." Then after I opened it he burst out laughing, "It's Clyde Bauman."
It was Mr. Bauman's brand new serious CD called PRAIRIE MEMORIES which I have been pondering buying. It is JUST WONDERFUL--such a special tribute to life in North Dakota! Thank you, Jacob!
What do you suppose he is thinking?
Yes, Andrew came next with a gift to help my office in Bismarck run more smoothly. He bought me a brand new microphone and a mini hub. After a translation from our resident TECH-SPERT, I got excited.
You see, although I've been enjoying recording my sessions on my iPod here at home, Robert
could see that it would be much more simple if I give the session report to my clients before they leave my office. Then when the session is finished, it's finished, and I don't have to think about it all the way home.
could see that it would be much more simple if I give the session report to my clients before they leave my office. Then when the session is finished, it's finished, and I don't have to think about it all the way home.
Andrew set to work to make it happen. He found a place where I can buy bulk MP3 players at a very reasonable rate. This plan is very simple if one has the equipment and now I do thanks to Andrew! God bless you, son, for bringing me up to date with technology. Although I really only enjoy it for how it blesses people's lives, if it weren't for you, I'd not even know what tools are out there to make that possible.
Once I understood Andrew's gift, I was VERY grateful. He must be getting older as he didn't even mind my motherly love and Cora got it on film.
Then Jacob came back again and, by his smirk I was almost positive that this package WAS Mylo Hatzenbuhler in CD format. YUP--I now own, I'M BIG-TIME NOW!!! Oh my, who could ever forget, "Born at the PCA," or "The Ballad of New Salem," or "In the Coop," or "Send in the Cows......" Who could ever be depressed with Mylo and Emma in this world?
After that Cora came back over to me with this very large box! I had thought it was from Robert earlier in the week when she had set out all of the birthday presents. However, when she wrote her name on it so I knew it was from her. What could she have gotten me that was THAT big, I had wondered for several days before this. What indeed!
It was 5 of Lorie Line's CDs from her heritage collection. Look how my clever daughter packaged them all. That foam strip had protected my SunSplash when it came from Dr. Mercola. All she did was cut slits into it and slid the CDs into the slits and put them in a big box. WOW!
Who is happier?
Then it was my sweetie's turn to sit in the hot spot.
In the box I found these old dishes. Jacob and I both dug through the box again and carefully inspected the stuffing for clues, but this is all there was. Three old dishes but then we found that big metal thing on the bottom of the plate and had to wonder if that wasn't part of the clue.
Cora was splitting a seam, trying not to give away the secret, when the phone rang. It was a favorite aunt who called to wish me a happy birthday. I visited with her while the boys figured it out in the living room and large sighs were heard from them. I tuned them out and enjoyed my phone call but returned to the living room VERY curious.
I don't know why but I kept thinking that the metal ring was a gasket. All of a sudden, when I picked it up, it ran through my mind that it was a washer. I looked at Robert and said, "Dishes and a washer." Then it clicked and I asked him, "A dishwasher?"
Not wishing to seem presumptuous, Jacob and I went and looked in our old dishwasher which hasn't been in working order for almost a year. Now THAT was the only unpleasant part of my birthday. YUK!
Finding nothing there, I picked up my courage and asked Robert, "Are you getting me a new dishwasher?" He smiled and said, "YES." Here are my clues....
and HERE is one happy wife!!!!!!!!!
Robert explained that he has been observing my life getting more busy as my business expands. Also Cora is working at the nursing home 3 days a week so that takes both women away from the kitchen sink.
"I don't have it picked out yet," but I want you to know that I think it's time that we get a dishwasher again." I couldn't agree more!!!
Tomorrow they will look while I'm with my clients in Bismarck so that is VERY exciting. I'm never been all that excited about comparing features so I'm going to let my men-folk do that for me. Whichever one that they pick will be just perfect!
After that I asked Cora to take some pictures of me while I was all dressed up. I've been wanting to take a new picture of myself. Since I am now a practicing member of the International BodyTalk Association (meaning that I have a BT practice working with the public), I can put my picture and story on the IBA website.
These are the photos that my daughter took of me on my 53rd birthday. Perhaps I should ask you all to share which one you would pick. Go ahead, cast your vote by leaving me a comment. I'll number them for your convenience. This is just spur of the moment but it should be fun to get every one's opinion.
#1--Me with the birthday centerpiece that Robert gave to me.
#2--Me with the most intriguing gift that I've ever received. Cora gave these to me for an office warming present. They're hand made somethings from India and I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do with them. Someone suggested buying a huge, clear bowl and putting them in (these are about half of them). Someone suggested stringing them together and hanging them on the wall. Someone suggested stringing each one individually from pretty ribbons and suspending them from the ceiling. Someone suggested putting them over a fan and blowing them in a case so that people can be entertained as they wait for their turn for a session. WHAT WILL I DO WITH THESE? HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
#3 Me in my mother's chair that I bought at dad's auction.
#4--Me in front of my piano and the book which I gave Robert for our 30th wedding anniversary called, THE STATION--A REMINDER TO CHERISH THE JOURNEY! You are all welcome to come over and read it as it is a phenomenal reminder that life is PRECIOUS!
#5--Me in front of the little Winter display that Cora made to spruce up the place.
There were many more but these were the only ones that I had considered for this post. Please feel free to let me know if you think any of these would make a good impression on my new bio page on the IBA website.
Well, that was almost all of my delights that I experienced on my birthday--almost but not quite. How can I help but cry tears of joy now as I recall the phone call that I got that morning from my brother, Russell.
I'm sure that many of you can grasp what this meant to me. For the others I will simply say that my brother has NEVER done anything to acknowledge my birthday before. Well, we had just sat down for a breakfast of nice warm oatmeal with apples cut into it--just the way I like it best. Thank you Cora!
The timing wasn't the best, but when my brother started singing, "Happy birthday to you..." I didn't mind missing my birthday breakfast, as you might imagine. We talked for about half an hour and, for the first time in my life, it didn't matter that my dad doesn't love me.
You see, Russell and I decided a while back that we would be unloved children together. Somehow it doesn't matter so much now that I'm not alone. Of course my dad did nothing for my birthday, but it didn't matter. He's emotionally retarded and one mustn't expect too much of someone like that.
My brother Russell actually called me and wished me a happy birthday and that was the start of one of the most wonderful days of my life!!!!!!! He actually told me that he loves me and there are no words to express my joy at that moment. One would have had to have been starved for brotherly love all of one's life to be able to grasp how his words touched my heart!
I am NOT alone any more! I may be alone in a lot of ways from here on out, but I am no longer alone without someone from my family of origin to truly care whether I live or not! I am speechless with delight as I leave you with that wonderful answer to prayer.
Many of you deserve thanks for your prayers that led to that moment with my brother so this post is full of my heartfelt thanks. I love you all! Thanks for being there and thanks for caring!!!!!
Truly happy,
Dawn
1 comment:
I'm so happy for you! What a great birthday!
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