Tomorrow is my birthday.
I’m not posting this to make you feel bad for not buying me a present.
I’m posting this because I was sitting here thinking about how OLD this birthday is making me feel.
You guys, I’m going to be 27 in like 3 hours.
27 seems really old to me.
So as I sat here reflecting on how old I am, I was thinking about my past birthdays.
Birthday #18.
This birthday was epic.
And not the good kind of epic.
18th birthdays are kind of a big deal, right?
18. Adulthood. Major.
Guys, my then-boyfriend bought me a jar of jelly for my birthday.
Grape jelly.
Oh yeah, and a pool noodle.
They were supposed to represent inside jokes, neither of which I ever found funny, but you’d think for my 18th birthday he would get me something more than grape jelly and a pool noodle.
To make matters worse, he didn’t even take me out for my birthday.
He had “plans” with his family.
Needless to say, I dumped him the next day.
BUT…the above picture does show exactly how I celebrated my 18th birthday.
My mom and sisters came to the rescue and took me to dinner.
Mexican food, a sombrero, and a mariachi band.
Epic.
Birthday #19.
Also known as, one of my favorite birthdays EVER.
Turning 19 is almost as important as turning 18.
Your 19th birthday means that it is your last year to be a teenager, to be stupid, to have fun.
And oh what fun was had.
My uncle handed me the keys to his San Diego beach house, so I loaded up my car with my two best friends and we spent a week laying on the beach.
Talk about the perfect way to spend a birthday.
We lived off ham and cheese sandwiches, cold cereal, and Taco Surf burritos (oh the joys of a teenage metabolism!).
Definitely one of my favorite birthdays.
Birthday #20.
This birthday was seriously so much fun.
My dear friend Sarah called everyone we knew, literally everyone that we had ever hung out with, and planned a big dinner at Red Robin.
I think we took up over half the seating at Red Robin.
Oh, and the best part was the cameras.
Sarah had bought like 10 disposable cameras and left them on all the tables…I have a box full of pictures from that night, which are so much fun to go through.
However, I must confess, I don’t remember like half the peoples names anymore.
The night ended with karaoke. Any night that ends with karaoke is a good night.
Birthday #25
If you haven’t seen all the pictures from my fabulous 80s birthday party, you must go here.
I threw this party for 2 reasons:
1. I really wanted a totally rad birthday party.
2. I really needed to make some friends in Ohio.
Reason #2 was actually the biggest reason for the party.
I branched out a bit and invited a few people that I didn’t know very well yet, but really wanted to befriend.
And let me tell you, I’m oh so glad that I did.
One of my dearest friends for life came to this birthday party…we really hadn’t talked much at all to each other prior to this, but after this party we became bosom buddies (holla Jen!).
Also, Riker wore a Run DMC onesie and a mustache.
Win.
Birthday #26.
I wanted to cry when I walked outside that day.
My favorite friends had heart attacked my door with the sweetest notes and made my walkway the cheeriest one in the neighborhood.
No big party was had for this birthday, just cake and ice cream with a few close friends, but the loveliness I found outside made this birthday oh so special.
So now, in about 3 hours, it will be birthday #27.
I’m not sure why, but this is a hard number for me to accept.
26 wasn’t too bad because it was just barely a year past 25.
But 27 means almost 30.
Thinking back on all of these birthdays, I can still remember them so vividly.
I can’t be turning 27 because it was just yesterday that I turned 18, 19, 20.
Aside from the metabolism, there is no way I’d ever want to be 19 years old again though.
I have an incredible husband and two of the greatest kids ever to be born.
So here’s to embracing 27 and all that it brings!
3 comments:
Happy birthday!!! Wish we could be jumping across hotel beds again this year! Love you! :)
Yeah, I messed that up pretty hardcore. Super hardcore.
I got a pretty good kick out of reading your side of that, so I thought I’d share mine, for nostalgia and all that jazz.
First, some background; I generally agonize for weeks over gifts for people I care about. I try really hard to not give just gifts, but gifts that have some meaning in our relationship. The idea of just buying anything was unacceptable, it had to mean something.
So, now it’s your big day. I spent the last few weeks trying to think of some awesome gift for you, but I couldn’t think of anything meaningful. I was out of time. So, my mom being the saint she is, agreed to help purchase a gift (I hadn’t had a job since I finished the year at ASU) and I decided to go with the only thing I could think of: an otter charm for your charm bracelet.
I should stop here and attempt to explain this one for the rest of the audience. We had been swimming some weeks or months prior with friends when at some point Lisa said, “I’m in the water,” which for whatever reason to me sounded like, “I’m an otter!” It drove her CRAZY when I insisted that is what she said, so I latched onto it. I thought it was cute. I was 19. Somehow that got connected to the PB&J Otter show, though I can’t remember why any more, and added referring to Lisa as Jelly, the girl otter. The otters were known for their “Noodle Dance”.
Alright back to the action. I can’t remember exactly, I think you had to work that day? In any case, I knew you were busy so spent the majority of the morning and early afternoon looking all over town for this charm that was impossible to find. I had to comprise; the closest I could find was a Noah’s Ark charm. The jelly and the noodle were my lame last minute attempt to connect everything, as sad an attempt as it was. (I did find one about a year later in Buckley, WA at the Buckley Log Show and sent it to you. It was probably the last thing you wanted to receive, but it gave me some closure for the whole debacle.)
Ok, I had a present; not one I was particularly proud of, or really very happy with, but it was the best I could do with the time and resources at my disposal. I wanted to to be meaningful and memorable; I guess I was right…
Here’s where I totally dropped, stomped on, and destroyed the ball: As I was waiting at home for you to call, my mom asked if I wanted to get something to eat at Joe’s BBQ. As a growing teenager I was, of course, hungry and didn’t stop to think for a second (until after, any way) that, “Hey, stupid, you are supposed to take your girlfriend out for her birthday!” Luckily your family was there.
The next day we went to that shady bowling alley and after you didn’t talk to me all night, I met you back at your place and gave what I had, as unimpressive as it was.
You broke up with me that Sunday night.
So yeah, not to say that I wish things were different, or that I would change anything; I think we are both happy with the direction our lives have gone. I do however, owe you an apology, one that has been 9 years coming.
Lisa, I’m sorry for ruining your 18th birthday. :(
I can tell you one thing though; I have never, and will never make that mistake again.
Have a great 27th!
Chris
Lisa... I about had a nervous breakdown turning 27 this year too for the same exact reasons. I too wouldn't trade where I am for a previous age, but it is a hard age to come to terms with so far. I think we've just got to face it... we're old. :P Love you girl and I am so glad you had a happy birthday! I will say that I remember your 16th birthday pretty well... ;) (Right, it was that one, right?)
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