The best birthday present EVER.

Today is my birthday.  I'm 30.  Last year when I turned 29 I was instantly filled with anxiety over being 30.  30 simply sounded so much older!  I felt I should be more accomplished by age 30, have more money, or drive a better car.  I certainly didn't want to look old.  I wanted to forever be young, vital, and beautiful.  Oh, the irony and wit that the universe beholds.  I didn't like that I felt this way about aging.  I knew these thoughts were ridiculous and thought a change in mindset was in order.  I decided to spend my year doing 30 acts of kindness.  With my children in tow, we began leaving $1 bills in the toy bins at the 99cents store, paying for the people behind us at Starbucks, and leaving quarters at laundry mats and candy machines.  We had so much fun with it!  The slyness of it all, sneaking around, not getting caught, and oh the giggles.  Truly, it was a gift unto ourselves.

And then it ended.  2 months after I turned 29 my world flipped upside down.  Suddenly growing old would be what I would spend my life striving for.  Suddenly aging became all that mattered.  Would I even turn 30?  Gone were the carefree days filled with giggles and ease.  Joy heavily neglected.  The pause button pressed.  Watching and joining friends turning "Dirty 30!", I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't envious of the air surrounding their birthdays.  Young, wild, free.  I knew this year that my birthday would be spent boob-less, bald, blistered, and burnt.  Like everyday, I would spend the morning at radiation but planned to share a wonderful evening with my husband who happens to share my birthday (I am 6 hours older!).  Sadly, this Saturday, Adam's Great-Grandmother died at the age of 99.  At 2am the morning of my birthday my husband flew out to Indiana to pay his respects to a woman he loved very much.  Boob-less, bald, blistered, burnt, and now ALONE.  Just as I was reserving a pity party table for 1.....This happened.

This slideshow design customized with Smilebox

Also view video by clicking HERE

 Today I have been flooded with emails, blog comments, and phone calls from strangers who have been touched by my children's random acts of kindness.  A day that I thought was going to spent so dismal has been filled fully by joy and human kindness.  I was anything but alone today.  I am especially proud of my son, who went far out of his comport zone to make his mom's birthday wish come true.  Today I am honored to turn 30.  I am loved so fiercely by so many.  29 was spent fighting for my life.  30 will be spent living it.

A special thank you to my mom who made this sweet video and helped my kiddos execute the best birthday present EVER!


*Friends:  If you enjoy reading, give my Ads a click or two, I get a of couple cents every time you do!  Thank you.