I'm cancelling my birthday this year.
It was probably going to be extra sucky-hard anyway like all ‘special days’ are
right now, so I think I just won't bother. Even Mike -- who is usually
awesome at spoiling me 'cuz he knows I'm a high maintenance, stuck up,
self-involved birthday diva, has several times made comments to mentally prepare
me for potential lack of over-the-top birthdayness. (And to be clear, all his statements are
completely true, I don’t argue with any of them, and I hope he knows that I
totally agree and am on board. He does
now! It’s in writing. You’ve all seen it. He better not get me anything for my birthday. If he does you all have my permission to
berate him). He’s said the following: "We're really over-budget already this
month.” [True and totes my fault.] “I'm
not sure what I'm going to get you.” [Again, he shouldn’t be getting me
anything.]. “I don't know when I'll have
time to go shopping." [First of all.
shopping for what and with what money?
Secondly, yeah, this week, we’ve got baseball Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Wednesday – our one, baseball-free weeknight,
we’re mentoring an engaged couple from church.
How is he supposed to fit in shopping (even if we had extra wads of cash
lying around) with that kind of schedule?!
It’s crazy talk.] I’m not good at
math but I’m pretty sure, No Time + No $ + No Shopping = No Birthday Presents
which = JUST FINE!!
(As a quick reminder, I’m such a birthday
diva that: once, I was convinced an awesome teacher in high school – who knew
it was my birthday as I made sure anyone interacting within 50 miles of me knew
it – was joking when she said our end of the year physics final would be on May
24th. It had to be a joke,
that jokester! I failed that test. Many years later, I was home alone with a toddler
Matthew and baby Zachary having a pity party about the lack of birthday
festivities, I heard the garage door open and was convinced we were being
broken into my birthday. I was prepared
to scare said-robber away with my ‘it’s my birthday get the stank outta my
house’ tantrum….it was Mike coming home to surprise me with the news that I got
to go have a massage…and then return to a surprise party at the house. Again, he knows how I roll come birthday
time.)
Also, a major change in my birthday for this
year is already underway. For the past,
hmmm, many, many years, we’ve celebrated my birthday/Memorial Day weekend with
my parents and brother at the beach condo/house. Up until yesterday, in discussions with my
mom, we were still thinking that we could do this. And then, we had our wake up call. See, Mom’s decided to sell their local
condo. She will be moving to a swanky,
gorgeous ‘cruise ship on land’ retirement home and WE COULDN’T BE HAPPY FOR
HER. It’s perfect. She’s SO happy about it and we really, REALLY
encouraged her to follow her gut and make this move. My brother Chris will, therefore, also be
making a HUGE move. For the first time
ever he’ll be living on his own – but the beauty is, we found him an awesome
little studio apartment ACROSS THE STREET from Mom’s place. He’ll be able to walk to work, spend every
evening with Mom if he wants and also get into a new routine of having some independence. This is a huge change. But Chris, being one who loves routine and
the comfort of what he knows, has already had his life turned upside down. With Dad’s sudden death, Chris’ entire world
(and ours, but especially his) was shaken up.
We really feel that while Mom is healthy and able to help him make this
transition it makes sense to do it now, rather than wait until another big
something happens and maybe Mom isn’t as able to help. It’s perfect.
It’s awesome. We’re all excited
and happy about it…but until the moves are all done, there’s a wee-bit-o work
to do.
So, back to me-me-me and my-my-my, and why I’m
cancelling my birthday. Mom is listing
the condo with a real estate agent and that lady came in like a tornado yesterday
giving her ginormous list of to-do’s.
(Nothing TOO crazy, but still A LOT for a widow to handle: removing
pictures, patching nail holes, repainting a room, downsizing/rearranging
furniture, etc.) We’re already looking
at the looming deadline of June 2nd – when Chris gets to move into
his new ‘bachelor pad’ (woot woot)! And
now, we have just a few days to get their place ‘show-ready.’ Not to mention, that eventually before SHE
moves (by July 3rd) we’ll need to downsize from 3000 to 1000 square
feet.
I’m Pa-RAYING that this place sells quickly
(which we’ve been told it will – it’s a large, waterfront condo in a very
desirable area with a private elevator inside.
C’mon St. Joseph!). So, in order
to help this all go as smoothly as possible, I’m cancelling my birthday and I’m
100% OK with it. For reals. Mom is overwhelmed and has such a heavy load
to carry. I want – and need – to help as
much as possible. I’m checking my ego at
the door, friends. Hmm! Maybe that’s a sign of maturity!
No comments:
Post a Comment