Birthday Thanks

Once upon a time, there was a Girl who was turning 40. While she was not especially depressed about this circumstance, she was a bit down that all of her friends were residing in Far-Away places and couldn't share her day, a few laughs and a cocktail (or so) with her.

Fortunately, one of these friends was a Super-Thinker and a Super-Planner and she concocted a strategy to execute a Super-Secret-Virtual-Birthday-Party for this lonely, displaced Girl. And on August 3rd, after her family took her out for the Traditional Chinese Dinner at Szechuan Gardens (where they should by now qualify for the Frequent Diners Discount because Girl is nothing if not predictable and she picks the Same Restaurant for her Birthday Dinner every single year), her Super-Sneaky family made a plan to distract her (ohhh, shiny!) while they piled presents from Far-Away Friends on the table so that when she moseyed into the dining room, she had to look twice at the mountain of boxes and envelopes surrounding the gorgeous flowers from Super-Thinker and a Super-Planner Girlfriend. She was thunderstruck (for she knew that her family loved her, but she didn't think they loved her quite This Much)!

With a puzzled look on her face, she moved closer to the table so she could read the return address labels: San Diego, England, Oregon, Virginia, Michigan, Maryland ... she only made it through a few before she started crying at the realization that she may not have friends in Indiana, but she has a wealth of friends circling the globe.

After she dried her eyes and the Fantastical Nature of the Situation set in, she sat down to start the Great Unwrapping. She discovered Starbucks Cards, a Pink (Breast Cancer Awareness) Blender, Cherry accouterments, Flamingoes, a Tiara, Earrings, Shopping Cards, Wine, T-shirts, Martini Glasses WITH Mixers, an Ann Taylor Loft Card... a multitude of brilliant gifts! She opened them all, all the while amazed at how Incredibly Awesome her friends and family are.

At the end of the day, she had a belly full of General Tso's Chicken and cake, an abundance of great new stuff in her room, but the most valuable gift she received was the knowledge that she was the Luckiest Girl, with the Best Friends and Family, in the Whole Wide World.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, to each and every one of you exceptional and extraordinary friends, with a special thanks to Annie, Super-Thinker and a Super-Planner Girlfriend.

Hugs and Kisses, Paige