Prepare yourself to be amazed. And if you have a tendency for being jealous, you may want to stop reading here.
Last Friday my husband lied to me about going to the Richard's house for couples game night. Instead I was greeted by friends at the door with a surprise party honoring my birth.
My reaction was a welling of tears. And for the first time, I fully embraced the embarrassment of being the center of attention and I let go of the "you don't deserve this" self-talk.
I wanted to sob. And I did, later.
My friend, Karalea, prepared an intimate dinner with won ton soup, chinese chicken and steak lettuce wraps, chinese noodles with authentic sauces and vegetables, sushi salad, and chocolate, coconut cheese cake. (Her creation was anything but like these bland recipe words)
Drinks included all my favorite; water, diet coke, fresca, and lemonade in that order. Included with this spread of food was home-made fortune cookies that read, "Happy Birthday to Melissa. And good fortune to her dear friends."
It was just as wonderful as it looks.
My husband made me a "Board of Honor" which is a poster board collage of my life. He also arranged months in advance this special night.
Tom included an activity with the dinner; an act of service. It is impossible for me to put into words what the activity meant to me. Except that it meant acceptance for who I am and healed a part of my wounded spirit. And also, it reminded me that playing small doesn't serve anyone. I AM my word, and I get to be my contribution to the world.
We laughed for hours and talked like 5th grade girls.
I cannot even imagine the effort and hours of time it took to create this evening for me. From the planning, to the presentation, to the labor before, and clean up after, I cry every time I think of it. I imagine all the thought and creativity it took; all the calls between Tom and my friends and am in awe.
Now you might be thinking, what an amazing person I must be to have such great friends who would do something so honoring. But that just isn't true. I have never done anything for Karalea, or any of these friends, ever, to deserve such kindness and love. I am so grateful to have them in my life.
Oh, and on Sunday, Karalea delivered this invitation she saved for posterity sake. Her thoughtfulness goes beyond my ability to comprehend. So, go here and read a poem I've written for her.
Humbly, I am thankful. To you all, Thank you.
8 comments:
I think you LIE!! You wrote "But that just isn't true. I have never done anything for Karalea, or any of these friends, ever, to deserve such kindness and love." Knowing you, I KNOW this is not true. You constantly serve, help, laugh with and are there for your friends. You are an amazing friend! (I can prove this too with before and after pictures of a room for twins!! And stories of someone doing my laundry or taking my kids so I could sleep! That is just a few of my examples) Not to mention an amazing wife and mother. You DO deserve that special night and many more just like it!
Happy Birthday friend!! (Cute poem too!)
Well deserved, well deserved.
Your blog is so amazing... you are way talented. My "secret" is actually something else... the 'saturday' thing... Do you just happen to be in utah this weekend???
Fantastic!!! What a wonderful surprise. You definitely deserved it; that's proven by the friends and family you have that simply adore you!!!
Maybe you haven't done anything for any of the other women at your party (I doubt it) but you did something amazing for me, something my husband and I still talk about, how you came over, when you barely knew me, and helped me steam clean the disgusting bathrooms in my "new house," and that was the day I actually felt like I could bear to move in to our grimy fixer upper, and then you brought me dinner three nights in a row after we moved in. Few people in my life have ever made such an effort for my sake (my mother did the kitchen). It meant the world to me! How could you have known I was crying hysterically the day before you came because I didn't think I could face bringing my children into the sesspool and there wasn't enough time or energy left for me to scour it all myself? And I feel so silly now posting it on your blog when I want to say it every time I see you but I don't because I don't want to get all mushy. Melissa
WOW WOW WOW!!! AND YES YOU DO DESERVE EVERY BIT OF IT!!! YOU ARE AMAZING!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRL!!!
Yes, you deserve every good and wonderful thing. Just from your short stint in Oxnard, I saw countless ways that you were serving and making others' days wonderful and brighter. Look! Here I am, still in contact with you, years later...you definitely made an impression on me. I am so glad you had such a fabulous birthday! Yes, you definitely have an amazing husband and friends--just like you.
I don't believe you for a single second!!!! That you don't do anything for those friends to deserve it? I only knew you for a short time, but you touched my life in such a way that very few others have.
And it was you who gave me one of the biggest compliments that I have ever received (at least I took it as a compliment...LOL).
Love you to pieces and am glad you had a wonderful birthday. Kudo's to Tom for such an act. That ROCKS!
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