happy birthday tooooo you!

Today is a special day.

It is my wonderful mom's birthday.

My dad's birthday was exactly nine days ago.

Today I would like to honor them both and celebrate with one of my favorite memories.

Nine years ago, I was an overweight, insecure eighth grader about to start a new school year and just feeling kind of lost. Let's just say that fourteen was not my finest year.

That summer, my mom's birthday was approaching and it was a milestone birthday.

One night, my dad invited me to take a walk around the block with him. We started our course down the street and once we had traveled a few houses away, my dad started talking about throwing a surprise party for my mom. He mentioned a few ideas and then admitted that he was not very good at throwing parties and was very busy at work and would need to find an exceptional party planner. Then he asked what I was really hoping he would ask...

Would I be willing to take charge of such an extravagant soiree?

Immediately, the wheels in my little teenage brain began turning...

fruit trays!

no! veggies trays!

no! veggies trays and fruit trays!

In the following weeks, my dad and I went for an evening walk every night after dinner. I would spend those summer afternoons dreaming of invitations and party favors. I had no time for my adolescent struggles and life seemed brighter and more fun.

No expense was spared for the party of the year. I was completely in charge of food and decorations. We ordered the most decadent cuisine my fourteen year old palate could think of ..... chickfila nugget trays.

Finally, the big day arrived and my dad pretended to take my mom out for a birthday dinner. I welcomed guests as they arrived by offering hors d'oeurves and asking them to remove their shoes. (i still get teased about this, but in my defense the carpet was new.) For an evening, I shed my insecure teenager persona and became an important fancy party hostess. We reeled my mom back home with a bogus air conditioning story and she was the best surprise party recipient I have ever seen. She made me feel like I had surprised her with an elegant gala.

Looking back on this memory, I have to smile when I realize how much they did this for me. My dad could have planned a much more sophisticated party that would have made budget. It would saved him hours of time and ease to just plan it himself or take my mom out for her birthday. I don't think my mom even likes surprises. I threw a teenage party for a grown woman's birthday. But my dad acted like a was a crucial party planner and mom acted like it was the best surprise she had ever seen. For all I know, they could have been in it together.

But I don't care. Because I desperately needed the validation and something to do. I spent those weeks feeling special, important, and sophisticated. In actuality, my parents were sacrificing convenience, money, and my mom's birthday party so that I could be happy. To this day, it is one of my most cherished memories of both parents.

So today, I wish I could send them a chickfila nugget tray in memory of that wonderful day. Instead, I will thank them for being such incredible parents and always putting my needs ahead of theirs. I couldn't have asked for better people to raise me.

Happy Birthday to you both.

I love you.

Love, Megan