My "wow" birthday 2013

Journaling the memories here---for next year.  I am walking around the house, doing dishes, picking up, as Bob vacuums and sorts toys...saying "wow" over and over.  God gives THE best birthdays.  wow

Last Sunday, at church, I thought my birthday would be sorta quiet.  I thought Bob would go to work, as he had been in Alabama the week before and needed to catch up.  I thought we might see James and Amber on the 4th.  just for an hour, as they needed to get west.  But, mostly, I thought we'd be staying cool. indoors. poking around on facebook and twitter.  maybe see a movie.  ha.

After church, We met Ben and Tiffany and Tiffany's grannie and her friend Ashley at BJs for lunch.  They serve the best salmon I have ever tasted.  impressive. 

And Monday I talked to Suzanne on the phone, and mailed some packages.  And we rode the roller coaster of James contemplating a deployment---which by Monday afternoon he found out the door on that slammed "violently" shut.  yay.  But, it is like we were put on notice, tested, for some reason.  And with things unsettled in Syria, Jordan, Egypt...  But, thankful the cloud was lifted for their vacation. 

Tuesday, Andy called and said they were headed up...and so I started cleaning, shopping.  They attended a college buddy's wedding right across the street from my Mother's house, and had been staying with her, visiting Lauren's folks and grandparents and friends.  I was glad they decided to come here for my birthday before heading back to Florida.  It was a wonderful chance to see Abby and David...  and we still thought we'd see James and Amber on the 4th...

Ben and Tiffany came over Tuesday night after Andy and Lauren got here about 5:30pm.  Abby is getting so tall, and she is so patient with her little brother.  David talks amazingly, and if you set the timer for each hour, potty trained! 

On Wednesday, my actual birthday (even though I had been celebrating all week) James found out at 2pm that they had been released early, so they were headed our way by 2:30pm.  wow.  They got here by 9pm??  And Ben and Tiffany came back even though they were in the middle of painting Tiffany's kitchen cupboards.  I got to sit and watch all my grands play.   And Abby got to experience what it would be like to have three little brothers.  Sometimes they ganged up on her, and tried to tickle or tackle.  And there was lots of spontaneous hugging.  Baby James and Baby David are about the same height.  It was so cute to see them hugging each other.  eye-to-eye.  sometimes gently, sometimes in a take down tackle.  amazing.  And little Matthew, who turned one in March, who is walking and climbing just gets right in there, too.  Gets a toy, shares a toy, has a toy snatched from his hands...but he does not seem to mind. Rolls with it.  And smiles so big. 

What more could I have wanted for my birthday?  I got to babysit my grands, play, watch them, delight in their interaction, and see my sons and my daughters-in-law and my future daughter-in-law.  Eat ice cream.  What more is there?  I do not need gifts that collect dust.  We are trying to give away those things to good homes.  simplify.  Someday, we will move the bed from the middle bedroom to the little house and make it another spare room for when both families are here---on those very rare, once every two years or so occurances/miracles. 

This morning, the 4th, I made coffee, careful not to wake sleeping babies.  And I got to watch them eat breakfast sitting on our breakfast stools.  More hugging, foot fights, fork waving...as their daddies packed the cars.  Now one has pulled away to the east, and one to the west coast.  Florida and California.  with their little dvd players and juice bottles, and books and toys...

What a fun, fun 4th!  They ran in the back yard.  conquered the hill.  talked to the neighbor dogs as long as GrandDad was near.  And gave us lots of hugs and kisses.   so fun.  I bet they all take naps on the trip.  

Thanks again to my sons and their families.  I wonder if we won't all be together here again until next March when Ben and Tiffany get married??  what fun.  wow.