This weekend... this weekend marks a few milestones. Sixteen years ago today my brother was in a plane crash, two days later I had my birthday, two days after that my one and only child was born. This is the first year I will not spend this time with my family. Even then, when my brother had made it home, broken, and battered, he rested but was there through my birthday and then he made my parents bring him back to the hospital to see his niece.
The kid and I always have a week long celebration - indulgent but fun, it is full of love and affection. She is in the US and I am missing her terribly. Fortunately, on her end, she is surrounded by her family and friends and will have plenty of love headed her way.
I opted to stay here in Prague, take summer courses, and continue work at school. As it turns out - due to circumstances beyond control - those whom I care for most here will be gone. In fact, almost all the people I consider good friends here will be out of the city. And a few people, who I had considered good friends, are no longer the people I want around me... and the people I would really like to get to know better are also gone...so it will be a rather solitary experience. One I've not had. Ever. I don't mean I will be a hermit, there are things to do, events planned and such, but I usually spend my birthday, and hers, with the people who matter most... my family and a few close friends. And that is not an option this time around.
The closest is 16 years ago when I celebrated my birthday by going in to labor. I was home resting most of the day, and in the evening my water broke - but I wasn't in any discomfort, so we had my birthday dinner (I was told to abstain so I watched everyone eat)and then went off the the hospital. I came home later that night, but went back the next afternoon - and she showed up right after midnight on the 28th.
That was the most hectic of all birthdays - and the highlight. I can't think of anything that could top that as a birthday gift, belated, but miraculous and wonderous and continuously giving more and more and more...
Happy Birthday kiddo. I love you.
The kid and I always have a week long celebration - indulgent but fun, it is full of love and affection. She is in the US and I am missing her terribly. Fortunately, on her end, she is surrounded by her family and friends and will have plenty of love headed her way.
I opted to stay here in Prague, take summer courses, and continue work at school. As it turns out - due to circumstances beyond control - those whom I care for most here will be gone. In fact, almost all the people I consider good friends here will be out of the city. And a few people, who I had considered good friends, are no longer the people I want around me... and the people I would really like to get to know better are also gone...so it will be a rather solitary experience. One I've not had. Ever. I don't mean I will be a hermit, there are things to do, events planned and such, but I usually spend my birthday, and hers, with the people who matter most... my family and a few close friends. And that is not an option this time around.
The closest is 16 years ago when I celebrated my birthday by going in to labor. I was home resting most of the day, and in the evening my water broke - but I wasn't in any discomfort, so we had my birthday dinner (I was told to abstain so I watched everyone eat)and then went off the the hospital. I came home later that night, but went back the next afternoon - and she showed up right after midnight on the 28th.
That was the most hectic of all birthdays - and the highlight. I can't think of anything that could top that as a birthday gift, belated, but miraculous and wonderous and continuously giving more and more and more...
Happy Birthday kiddo. I love you.
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