If you could blow out the candles and have any one wish come true what would you wish for?
Yesterday was Monday, April the 5th. It marked both Easter Monday and my Opa’s (grandpas) 87th birthday. I love celebrating a birthday. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. It is the one day that is just about you! I jumped out of bed yesterday with such Monday excitement, something I admit I don’t always have. It was going to be my first caddy cruise of the season. The sun was shining and as I drank my morning coffee and watched the sunrise over the lake I also watched a barge pass by. At 07:00 my heart was so full. I knew it was going to be a great day!
I was excited about this birthday and immediately called my Opa to sing to him. I woke the senior up I thought it would be safe to call the retired senior after seven but at last, we woke him up. Wake up Opa it’s your birthday! Happy Birthday!! As my son and I started to sing him happy birthday our corgi dog Kelso barked along. I have no idea why this party pooper puppers hates this song. You can literally sing any other song she’s fine with it. I spend most of my days with headphones on belting out the lyrics to some of my favourite songs. Soon as you start happy birthday she barks directly at your face until you stop. Point taken party pooper but I still love birthdays you will not be changing my mind. I am also an old lady set in my ways! We three sang a lovely off-tune bark-filled version of happy birthday one that will not soon be forgotten.
Let the good times roll. As soon as my butt hits the crushed velour interior of the caddy the tears began to fill in my eyes. How is it possible to love a car that much? With the velour under me and the sun shining down on the hood ornament, all is right in my world. For twenty-two years that car had made every spring better. It has made my life better. It melts away my worries and always puts a smile on my face. I have taken a lot of caddy road tours but this one with my dad to celebrate Opas birthday might mark my favourite. I loaded up the cake, a ton of candles and took the extra-long way to get to the farm. Never any hurry as you caddy cruise.
As I lit the pile of candles eight on one side and seven on the other I thought I hope I don’t burn the house down or I hope the firefighter who responds is easy on the eyes. Ha, Hey I can dream!
Who came up with the idea to light candles, sing happy birthday, blow out the candles and make a wish? Having the dream of birthday magic. I think back to all the times I blew out the candles in my 39 years and I have wished for some fun things. I believed in birthday magic. One year as a young girl I wished for a pony and later that year I got a pony. I figured birthday wishes worked! I have wished for everything from finding love to a lottery win still waiting for those wishes to come true! Feeling good about turning forty. This year’s birthday numbers didn’t net me fifty million in the plus but I still hold out hope.
As I watched Opa smile at his birthday cake and blow out the birthday candles he wished for another year. Another year to spend with his family. For the second time on a Monday, my eyes started to tear up and my heart started to fill even more. I think of how different our wishes were from the time we were kids into our thirties and going beyond into our eighties. When you have everything you could want in your life and you just want more time. My Opa has played the biggest part in making me the woman I am today. I am the mother and family woman I am because of the years we have spent together. Growing up I spent more time on the farm with my grandparents than anywhere else. It’s still the first place I head on a day off. Nothing like coffee and a good snack with the seniors. To know my Opa is to know what the love of a family is.
Three times on a Monday I was brought to tears about how much love I felt. I am beyond blessed to share such wonderful memories with my family. The third time that Monday brought me to tears was watching my son with chalk on his face, shirtless on a cool afternoon on a sugar high run around having fun with his cousin. To be a carefree kid with no worry in the world. Monday the 5th day of April you filled my heart with such fond memories. I am thankful for my family each and every day. I love you all so very much! Here’s to another year with many memories to be made.