The Fine Art of Celebration (Birthday Parties Rock)

   My birthday is on Saturday and I am turning thirty four. This week I have had tried to take some moments to remember previous birthday parties that have been held for me because as a mom I have come to realize just how much effort is expended for these! My first memory of a party is when I turned six I believe. We had all the girls in my class from school over. I remember there being a lot of drama and huffy girls and my mom declaring never again!! I also remember pretty party dresses (we wore uniforms every day to school so everyone looked so different and sparkly) and getting lots of presents! The next birthday I remember was my barn party. We had just moved to the island and we had this old barn with massive beams, many cobwebs, and cracks in the walls where the sun came through. My cousin and I decorated it with streamers and balloons and we had my party in the barn! One of my gifts was a chicken I named Speckles that my friends hid in a big pile of hay. That chicken was a very special pet to me for years to come. Another birthday party that stands out in my mind was when I turned thirteen. I was becoming a teenager and my family's property was up for sale. I knew it would be my last birthday on my family farm and I had all my friends ~ homeschoolers and church friends and neighbors ~ and we went frog hunting. I felt like it was the perfect way to start my teen years. It was also a perfect way to end my childhood. I tear up just writing that. When we moved away from the farm I left so much. I lost all my pets, had to leave such dear friends and so much beauty and freedom. My life after that consisted of a lot of homework mostly. I am so thankful for that thirteenth birthday party and the fun we had screaming and trying to catch frogs along the creek.
   Another awesome party was when I turned twenty three after I had had cancer. I was alive and I was done chemo and my friends threw this massive party for me. I felt so blessed to have everyone around me. We were all still so young and untried by life yet. Everyone was still so innocent in so many ways and their life and vitality was intense. A couple years later another party that I remember was getting together with my friends at my cousin's mother in laws house and we had a duvet making party. We made a queen size duvet filled with sheep's wool for me. It has been on my bed ever since. At that party I felt a sense of ancient kin ship to the woman of the past who would come together to make quilts for each other. I have often longed for a life similar to those times and so this party was incredibly special. So many more I have been blessed with. So many times that people have come together and sang happy birthday over me. So many friends and smiling eyes wishing me well. I am so incredibly grateful to have learned the fine art of celebration. It has nothing to do with the decorations (although that can sure set a tone), or food, or even what the candles are on. It has to do with the hearts heartily singing their blessing song over you and the eyes that are shining their happiness and light onto you. I took this forgranted quite frankly until I got married and realized my husband did not grow up this way. He had not been given that gift. Each year my children are celebrated on their birthday. It is never lavish or extravagant but they FEEL special and they FEEL celebrated for all that they are.
  The last birthday party that I had (and what I mean by party is having a group of people over that are friends as well as family) was when I turned thirty. It was a very significant birthday to me. I was entering a new decade and was more than grateful to leave my twenties behind. I wanted to do something very significant and so I planned a party for myself. I called it ~ The Burning ~ and I asked my friends to participate. The idea behind it was that I was going to make a list of all the things I needed to purge from my soul that were dark or bitter or sad and to start afresh. I had a lot of things in me that I did not like and they were remnants of things that had happened all through my life but a lot of them in my twenties. So that is what we did. We had a turkey dinner and huge trifle and everyone brought food and all my dear friends near and far came. If they could not come they sent words of affirmation to read over me. After we ate we lit a fire outside and had The Burning. I had written out what I needed to burn and why and simply had a piece of paper with the list that I threw in the fire after I had publicly declared my intentions and hopes. My husband did the same and then a number of my friends. It was very powerful. There was no turning back in a sense. I declared beauty from ashes and the oil of joy for mourning. Now here I am. I am turning thirty four and am happy to. I am not having a big party this year but I have been and will be doing special things all this month. It is important and I am thankful I can. Here are some pictures taken by Emily during my thirtieth birthday party.