Birthday Perfection

It’s late and I’m pooped but I cannot go to bed without somehow sharing the emotion from today. I’m beyond blessed with the most loving family. When you begin to tick off the 50’s, birthdays are blessings but hardly monumental, unless you are the momma to the Wendling children. I truly had the most wonderful day.

After working until after lunch, I was told to be ready to leave for an unknown destination. Vague and broad suggestions on what to wear and the schedule, and I was game for anything. After all, this is my playbook. I have planned the “Destination Unknown” trips for lots of children and families, LOTS of people. I’m totally game for the adventure! We piled in one car with nothing more than bottled water and less than 1/2 of a tank of gas. Heading out of town to tunes from MY playlist (major honor) brought back lots of memories. Let it be known, no one in our car cared one wit about pitch, tone, or being on key – singing loud and proud. From “We Are the Body” to “J is for Jesus”, on to Ed Sheeran and John Denver, we are a family of diverse musical tastes. Traveling the backroads where there is little to no cell service, it only briefly crossed my mind that likely no one knew where we were. Oh well, Lord, you’ve got this! Sing on!

After quite the journey, we ended up pulling in to a dirt parking lot where the sign says, U-Pick Strawberries! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’ve been talking about picking fresh strawberries for weeks and actually figured we had missed the peak of the season. Nope. We walked to a sea of strawberry fields. From the left and to the right, rows and rows of strawberries were juicy ripe for the picking. Fun! Bucket in hand, we fanned out to find as many ripe, juicy, perfectly sweet strawberries. Before I had moved 20 yards, my bucket was full. Unbelievable! It was true will power not to sample the succulent product. Now, “some” people, (Colin), took a little longer, enjoying the on-going search for each perfect piece of fruit. No worries, warm breezes, blue skies, sweet smell of strawberries and we can wait as long as it takes. Five buckets later we leave the patch with overloaded strawberry buckets ready to be eaten.

As if that wasn’t enough, on the way home, we receive word that stopping at Peach Park is an absolute necessity. Sooo, off we go to indulge in homemade ice cream, peach cobbler, and a fabulous family environment. Diet? What’s that? Geez, birthdays are such a good excuse. Yeah, tomorrow won’t be my birthday when I step on the scale. Oh well, my children were happily eating ice cream cones and thrilled to be sitting, in the middle of nowhere, taking in all their surroundings. We trekked back home and truly I was happy and thinking the day was done. Oh no…not to be.

Back in the car at 6pm, we set off for a surprise sunset dinner picnic. We walked up to a fabulous spread of charcuterie. Seriously, between the food and outside spread, in the waning sun, on a beautiful hill was truly beautiful. A bite of this, a bite of that, and I’m thinking my pretty perfect day is set. And then…and then…the birthday icing appears as little bobbing heads coming over the crest of the hill. Coleson and Bailey are running as fast as their little feet will carry them. As always when in their presence, my breath catches and I cannot believe every.single.soul. I love most in the entire universe is here with me as I celebrate 52.

How has my life turned out like this? Without the Lord’s blessings, I can’t explain it. Seriously. I can’t. When I looked around tonight and took in how full my day was and how the ones I love most were surrounding me, it’s hard to express how thankful I am.

To each of my precious children, I thank you. Somehow, those words don’t express how absolutely perfect today was for me. I’m going to bed thanking God for each of you.