A Month in the Life

Growing up!

My little girl is turning eight! We had an exciting day blowing up balloons, decorating the back yard, making the games for candy walks, and planning treasure hunts with a birthday parade. I do love celebrating birthdays!

Four Generations

Emily was born on her Great Grandma Chamber’s birthday but we decided to celebrate early. Next week we will be gone for Junior Bible Quizzing Nationals in Branson, then on to our Mennonite family reunion in New York, vacation with friends in Canada, and sharing Wife Swap testimony in Illinois.

The children were exhausted from their day of preparation and celebration but were still a little hyper from excess cake and ice cream. After they settled in bed, I snuck downstairs to nab the last piece of red velvet cake, and remembered a birthday party of my own a few months earlier.

January Eighth 2007

I woke up early in a strange room. The night before I had been introduced to the new Rock and Roll family I would be staying with for the next week. They seemed nice despite our differences in culture, and God had already reminded me He paid attention to detail in this arrangement. As I was taking hot sticks from my hair, I heard a tap on the door and the strumming of a lead guitar. Then, a rock and roll version of “Happy Birthday” serenaded by a punk rocker in a business suit and tie. I knew then that my 35th was going to be a strange year!

I went about the life of someone I didn’t know, taking kids to school, trying to book gigs, answering fan mail, handing out flyers to inviting them to a gig, I the punk rocker, was to sing at. I’m sure some people in town got a good chuckle out of this “new punk rocker” that was in town wearing a skirt!

After a Meeks style supper of some sort of salsa mush, Tony and I did dishes together – a change I was liked! Hannah and Benji had been “hushed” at the table a couple of times, so I knew something was up. Tony asked if I would like to practice with the band so I followed him to their studio. When I opened the door, “Surprise!” all the neighborhood was there to sing Happy Birthday and give presents. There was cake and beer – LOTS OF BEER. I enjoyed visiting with their friends, but when Tony started making a show of drinking “shots to Kristin,” I stepped outside to eat my cake. I was definitely out of my comfort zone, and terribly missing my children and Steve.

The editors, when splicing the show together, took out any reference to it being my birthday party. When I am making comments like “Tony knows that I am uncomfortable with the drinking scene”, the statement seems a little strange, until you know I am talking about a keg party on my personal birthday. I’m not sure exactly why the editor’s chose this route, but perhaps because Michel Jackson owns the rights to “Happy Birthday” and they would have to pay big time for the royalties.

I can say I've never had a birthday like it, and probably never will again.

When I returned home to my children’s hugs, kisses and happy squeals, they showed me a piece of red velvet cake they had saved from their celebration without me. Being home with my family, after a long week in Texas, was the best gift I could have asked for.

Kristin

Labels: ABC wife swap, Birthday Party, Family, Hoover, meeks, Punk Rock, Texas