July Twenny

I have been told that when I was three and my uncle William would ask me my birthday, I would reply, "July Twenny." To him, it was a phrase so cute that he would draw it out of me again and again, just as one would draw out the squealing giggle of a child's baby doll. Well, today is July Twenny -- Happy Birthday to me!

The kids bought presents for me yesterday, and they couldn’t stand to wait until today to give them to me. They gave me candles in scents I love, and chocolates which they expected me to share immediately. I didn’t even have the boxes of candy out of the gift bag before Gracie and Bub had their mouths open like hungry little birds.


James gave me the DVD version of So I Married an Axe Murderer, and tickets to the off-Broadway production The Color Purple, which is coming to Dallas in October. Those gifts are great on several accounts -- let me tell you why.

First, James must have overheard a conversation I had with Marcie about So I Married an Axe Murderer where I mentioned I should upgrade my VHS tape. Not only did he listen, he remembered. Moreover, he acted on what he remembered. In the midst of all the remembering, he recalled that I have a deep appreciation for the Pulitzer Prize winning novel The Color Purple by Alice Walker and sought out tickets for the show. All of that together (coupled with the fact that he will attend a musical) has got to be some sort of birthday miracle.

After the early exchange of birthday gifts, Chelsea and I stole away to the movies where we saw The Dark Knight. Overall, I thought the movie was pretty good. Christian Bale played a good Batman, but he was nothing like Michael Keaton to a thirteen-year-old girl. Heath Ledger, however, was incredible in the role of the joker, and were he not dead, this movie would have catapulted his career. That makes his death even more tragic.

I spent a couple of hours in the ER last night after the movie, which was a great way to begin my actual birthday. Happy birthday greetings from a gravely-voiced nurse straight in from a smoke break sure start the day off right! I wish I could say I was at the ER for something fun, but I'd be lying.

I'm still having issues with a slow-healing spot from the day I hurt my foot at Six Flags, and late last night, my foot swelled considerably. James and his trusty Web MD determined I needed to be rushed to the ER -- by ambulance, if I would have allowed it -- where I may have to be admitted to the hospital for IV fluids and possible amputation. Instead, the ER doctor gave me a prescription for antibiotics and another Band-Aid just like the one I wore in. The only thing different about last night and today is my need to check-in with a podiatrist and a new big hospital bill to pay. Oh, and the fact that I now have a legitimate excuse to lay around with my feet propped up. Nice.

We decided after a late night at the hospital to sleep through church this morning, but the birthday phone calls began for me at 8:00. I got up early to a quiet house, and enjoyed the silence for about two hours. Gracie woke up at 10:00, James at 11:00, and Chelsea and Bub at noon. Unbelievable! We got ourselves together and went to a Teppenyaki/Sushi restaurant for lunch. The rest of my day has been spent eating Oreos, reading books and blogs, and telling the kids, "Go ask Dad, it's my birthday."

Thank you, friends and family, for the cards, phone calls, text messages, e-cards, e-mails, and blog shout-outs. My friend DeDe sent over a very sweet scripture that blessed my heart deeply: "God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special." I Thessalonians 1:4 (MSG)