A Special Birthday Surprise

I sort of dreaded my birthday this year. It wasn't a milestone or anything like that, but it has slowly been penetrating my brain--I'm getting old. Don't really feel older but when you hit 53 years, its a bit of a shock when you still feel 30. My family started asking in June "what do you want for your birthday?" How could I tell them, "to be younger"?

I knew right off the bat, what my dear husband was planning. A long awaited trip to a cross stitch store. House of Stitches. Best shop in Indiana. He'd been promising that since Christmas. And I'd been saving money so I could go nuts in the shop, which I did. More about that later.

Anyway, back to not looking forward to my birthday. About two weeks before the dreaded day, I got a package in the mail. Wasn't expecting anything, no orders being shipped so I was really surprised. My friend Adana's return address was on the box. Couldn't wait to open it. This is what was inside. She made this herself--a lovely wooden box, all lined inside with pretty blue fabric, with a cute card, a pair of scissors and a bookmark. She chose all the things I loved. Shepherd's Bush sheepie design, scissors, the color blue and teapots. She sanded and stained the box herself. Stitched the top motif, which is from Garden Gate, did all the finishing work, and it turned out most lovely. And she made me feel special. How could I dread my birthday when I had friends like Adana?

She doesn't even know how much she did for me. How she brightened my outlook on life, how being friends with her has opened me up to more possibilities. Thank you Adana, you ROCK!

My birthday turned out just fine. My son, his wife Olivia, and my grandkids took me out for dinner, gifted me with a game, and a stuffed animal Garfield, for my car. My son Chad gave me a photo printer. My parents sent me money to add to my shopping spree at House of Stitches. And my darling Shawn took me there. But, that is another story for another time. Thanks for reading.