Well celebrated

Last night Ian took the kids on a little shopping trip.  Their excited whispers and loud, "Shhh, don't let Mommy hear you!"  brought a smile to my face.  I knew the purpose of their trip but played along like I had no clue.

When they got home they came running to me (caught me with my feet up on the couch just enjoying the silence) and told me that I had to stay in the living room.  I was told not, under any circumstances, to come into the kitchen.  Of course from right here I could totally hear the questions of, "Hey Daddy, how do you spell I love you Mommy?" and "Please pass the tape," and "Mommy does like chocolate, right?"

As Ian and I enjoyed our early morning breakfast that he fixed for me, he explained that there were three cards that said Mommy because each child wanted to pick on they thought was special.  As my little sleepyheads stumbled down the hall, one at a time, they each offered up their individually picked birthday card.  First up, my little guy.

When I asked him why he picked the card he did ~ a mouse hiding behind a gift but when you open the card its arms stretch out to open up wide ~ he said, "Because it says 'I love you this much' and that's how much I love you Mommy." 

Next kiddo to come down the hall, my big girl.

She told me that she selected her card because, "Well, it is pink and shiny and the fuzzy parts (decorative swirls) felt good and when Daddy read it to me I liked what it said."

Finally Ian needed to get going to begin his work day, so we went to fetch the queen of the sleepyheads.

Her card was a princess.  (I really didn't need to ask, though I was a bit surprised that it wasn't Tinkerbelle.  Guess they don't make Tink cards in the grown up section...)  She told me she picked the princess card because, "It was parkly and I hope you have a pretty parkle dress too."

Then it was time to open those sweetly wrapped gifts.  Gifts that I was informed had been selected after the guideline, "Pick something so that Mommy knows that she is loved."  I was told that the kids walked up and down the aisles of Target until they found just the things.

A scrap pack for backing photos when I create scrapbook pages.  (Says something when the only time I've taken to scrap since I've had kids is for dossiers and post placements yet my kids see me doing it so often that they know I love it).  And a giant chocolate bar.  The gourmet version of a Heath, my favorite.

Then came my present from Ian.  Arrived in the form of an email.  He made a donation in honor of my birthday to the New Day Foster Home medical and surgical fund.  The fund that paid for the heart surgery that saved my youngest son's life.  A gift that shows just how much my husband knows my heart.  And in return ~ a little note from the folks at New Day...

To top it all off, I get a date (that he arranged) with my man tonight. It's been a good birthday!

I've been well celebrated!