Happy Birthday to Me...

I had a wonderful weekend. Just simply wonderful.
Not without a moment or two of melancholy, but wonderful.

Friday was my "little" sister's birthday. So we celebrated her at Pizza Hut with family and pizza. Kevin celebrated ending his worst day of the year without a prank from me. [He did however delight me with the news that all the office and production staff at JK was prepped to summon security if ANYONE came to the door or called for him, that no one was allowed within 50 feet of him, except for Lisa from Titan, which I plan to remember for next year...]

I always have a great time when I can "play" with my nephews. The things they do to me. When they are 15 they will undoubtedly want to puke when I tell them they used to snap my bra and try to give me wedgies. Today I taught them to say "nanner-nanner booger-snot" which seemed to please their mother as they yelled it from their car as they were leaving...

Saturday, I attended the memorial service of an elder at MPCC. His sons and daughter were all friends of mine growing up. I hate that they had to meet cancer face to face like this. Sucks. It was moving to see all the elders and their wives seated together in front. I'm sure it meant a great deal to the family. I didn't mind the service, I wanted to be there for this celebration of a life lived in faithfulness, but it was hard to be there with everything that has happened in the last several months. Thankful my sister cleared her already busy schedule to go with me. I left feeling out of place walking through the long hall to the parking lot. I was met with a few precious hugs from dear ladies I've missed and then fought the tears all the way home.

Anyway, Kev and I got some lunch and piddled the afternoon away. I went to the MPCC children's musical, which I always enjoy, especially since both nephews were participating as well as the one and only John Mitchell-who btw was very good...he teased us all with what appeared to be another of his infamous ad-libs but was saved by the intro of the next song before he could deliver....so close. It was great to see everyone, but again my heart was so heavy with loss and second-guessing that I cried all the way home again. I really thought I was past this. We wrapped up the evening with a couple episodes of "Roswell" and called it a night.

This morning was the first "spring forward" Sunday I didn't have to be at church at 6:30 internal time in forever. We thought about the 9:45 but nah...11:00 it is. As I fixed breakfast I was imagining the angels reminding the LORD that it was my birthday today and asking permission to insert a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday, Loretta" into their "holy, holy, holy" set, something I thought of last year and decided to make an annual event. Bacon frying, the bird's tweeting and God singing over me. Nice.

Kevin finished his breakfast and while performing his daily scanning of our walls and ceilings to check for any settling that may have occurred while he was sleeping says to me, "I thought about making you breakfast for your birthday, since I didn't get you anything, but you beat me to it. I'm a terrible husband. And I'm getting away with it."

You have to know Kevin. I laughed a lot.

We hustled to church and I'm telling you, it was the nicest of presents all said and done. I had spent most of Saturday in a funk for leaving so much of my life and heart behind me and I walk in this morning and it was just what I needed. All about getting uncomfortable, living a dangerous Christianity, one that looks nothing like what the church has settled into and about letting Jesus take over. The music was great, the team preaching was powerfully delivered, and the set absolutely rocked. And then he says that there are 366 times in the Bible that the words "be not afraid" are used. Preach it, baby. Light the candles, cut the cake, I'm going to be okay.

Hit the Tangerine Bowl for burgers and spent the late afternoon and early evening trying to fly kites, lots of kites with my family. What we lacked in sufficient wind to sustain any substantial flights, we made up for in more wrestling with the kids and a few laughs. One trip to the Maid Rite and we called it a day. As I write this Kevin is singing "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" in the kitchen and sounds a bit like Elvis. Shawna and John went to a comedy concert at MPCC and when they return we'll end a great weekend with a couple more episodes of "Roswell". My cup overfloweth.