Birthday Visit

This year I was lucky enough to have my grandparents visit for my birthday.  Typically I am home alone for my birthday because every year Cody has a conference.  In the past 9 or 10 years I have been with family, I think, only once.  So this visit was especially special.  We crammed in as much fun as possible in a short amount of time.  Gma and Bpa watched the boys after school.  And on days I didn't have to work we visited them at the hotel for swimming and dinner.  Both boys really enjoyed the pool time.  Cole swam all over the big pool unassisted like a pro with his froggie chest floaty.  And Case worked on diving underwater with his goggles in the hot tub.  We even had a weekend hotel sleepover which felt like a little vacation.  Swimming, dinner, playing shape/color bingo, sleeping bags and breakfast.  The boys had a blast.





My birthday celebration was the piece de resistance.  My grandparents took the boys to Walmart where they picked out a birthday cake and went shopping at the Dollar  Store to pick out presents.  I was touched at how thoughtful their presents were.  Case picked out a package of headbands similar to the ones I wear when I go to the gym.  And Cole picked out a pretty purple hairbrush with a mirror on the back.  They decorated the kitchen with a Happy Birthday banner and balloons while I was at work.  When I returned home everyone jumped out from their hiding place behind the kitchen island and yelled Happy Birthday!  Afterwards we ate cake first, dinner second.



The whole production was wonderful and I was a mushy crybaby on more than one occasion.  I have gone through my birthday alone since I moved away from Oklahoma and typically I don't get sad.  Being alone is just the way it is.  You know the saying, 'You don't know what you have until its gone'?  Well I had several moments like that except I was realizing what I had in that moment.  Having people here made the day truly special and not just another day.