Well, it's that time of year again. My birthday! How can I possibly be 29!? That's 29 years of being on this earth, laughing, crying, growing, learning and trying to figure out this world.
While my birthday used to always be something I looked forward to as a kid, now it just seems so, blah. As a kid I was always so excited for my special day! Having a birthday present list, having birthday parties, cake, and celebrating!
There are things I do still do till this day that make it very special to me. I wait until the time I was born, 5:21 pm on May 20th to open my gifts and cards. And there was one special thing I loved even more. It was waiting for a very special phone call from my Grandpa! We shared the same birthday! I was expected to be born on May 13th...already as a little one inside my mom's tummy, I decided, "no, that won't work for me!" I need to stick it out a week and make this special! So then it was. I was born at 5:21pm on May 20th, 1982.
Now, my Grandpa's phone call was so very special to me because it was something we shared, something that truly connected us with a special bond from the very start. I never knew where in the world Grandpa would be..he traveled all of the time. I got phone calls from California, New York, London, Hawaii and Japan. It was always an adventure!
My Grandpa passed away 10 years ago this September. But, it's this time of year when I miss my Grandpa the most! I get sad knowing her won't call and something feels so empty about receiving birthday phone calls from my family and friends Because, it is his call and his voice that I long for. I so deeply wish he was here, to see how far I've come, to send me postcards from his adventures and travels to amazing places, and to HUG! He would be so proud of the strong, loving person that I am. He'd appreciate my love for deals and baking! Every year I make spaghetti with marinara sauce and chocolate cake in his honor. And I make it a point to spill on myself, because Grandpa always wore a red shirt when he ate spaghetti ever since he spilled all over his white shirt!
Throughout the year I carry on his memory, his humor, his love for deals and I would love to travel the world as he so loved to do! Grandpa, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish you were here with me, especially on this very special day that we share. I hope you are traveling somewhere magical, beautiful and spilling a little something on yourself! I know you are watching over me and sending me postcards from the clouds! I love you and I miss you! Happy Birthday!
My Grandpa and I on my 17th and his 71st Birthday. He surprised me by coming to Chicago for our birthday! It was the best gift ever!
