I had a birthday yesterday. Fifty-three years old.
I was still feeling fairly youthful until Steve, with mock gravity, informed me that I have lived in two millennia, two centuries, and six decades,
Now I feel a wee bit old.
Last night was our regularly scheduled meeting for our young adult small group that Steve and I host so we just turned the small group meeting into a birthday pizza party and had great fun.
And yes, The Hat did make an appearance. (For any new readers, this birthday has been in our family for about 15 years and is worn by each family member on his or her birthday.)
You may recognize this young lady sporting this very hat many years ago. If I remember correctly, she was the first one to wear it.
But she’s not the last. The tradition continues through another generation.
Steve and Sarah baked Apple Dumplings, one of my favorite recipes. We served them warm with ice cream. Yum.
On Friday night, Steve took me out for a birthday dinner at La Dolce Vita, one of our favorite places. It’s just one minute from our house and to make me extra happy, we had a 25% off coupon.
As we were leaving the house I said, “Oh wait. All the young folks take selfies on themselves before they go out on a big date. Let’s pretend like we’re young folks and do the same thing.
(Note: Steve is growing his beard for our Easter production; it’s not a permanent fixture.)
We started out looking fairly normal and it went downhill from there.
I have to show you a full length view of the coat I’m wearing in the above pictures. And as you can probably guess, it came from Goodwill. (I can’t remember the brand at the moment, but I do know Nordstrom sells it.)
I almost didn’t buy it because it was a whopping ten dollars and I didn’t have much room left in my weekly budget for such a purchase. But I bit the bullet and paid the money and I’m so glad I did. I know I will enjoy wearing it for many years.
Actually this entire outfit—except the scarf–came from a thrift store. Hooray for thrift stores!
And speaking of thrift stores, I had to smile last night when Sarah gave me my birthday gift. A gorgeous necklace and a great book—both of them purchased from Goodwill.
I have raised her well.
Steve went shopping for me at one of the most fabulous stores on the beach that I love but never shop at because. . . well . . . it’s not a thrift store. But he pops in there once or twice a year for special occasion purchases.
He got me a gorgeous, lime green scarf in an unusual fabric with fringes on it; it’s very artsy and creative—a style he knows I love.
And my last pictures from yesterday come to you courtesy of yesterday’s church service. During his sermon, Steve used a candle and a mirror for an object lesson. One of the best parts of it was when he lit the candle and then held a microphone up to the candle and asked us all to listen. Of course, we heard nothing.
His point was that many times we can be a light in a dark place without even saying a word. As an introverted sort of person, I especially related to that point.
He then put a mirror behind the candle and showed the power of reflected light. (The backdrops are for our upcoming Easter production.)
As I sat and listened to him, tucked into the pew beside my sweet daughter, I was reminded how blessed I am to be fifty-three years old and surrounded by the love of my husband, my daughter, and my church.
And even though I don’t get to see them as often as I would like, I am grateful for the love of my son and daughter-in-law and grandson, not to mention my extended family all over the country.
I am also incredibly grateful for my Smithellanellaneous family.
Some of you have been following our family’s story for thirteen years, ever since Sarah was just six years old and diagnosed with cancer. It amazes me and humbles me that each of you take time out of your week to sit down with our family for a few moments to catch up on the ups and downs of our journey.
The comments you leave, the prayers sent our way, the virtual hugs and love given during tough times, the laughs we’ve shared, the joy and tears . . . well, I just can’t begin to tell you what a blessing each one of you is to me.
Although my Manteo friends and family made my birthday yesterday happy, you all make me happy all throughout the year.
Thank you, dear blog friends. I am blessed!
Glad you had a great birthday, Becky! I wish I could do the thrift circuit route… I don’t know how you find such spectacular things there! Every time I walk into one I get overwhelmed by all the ‘stuff’ that’s there. I don’t seem to have the patience required to unearth their treasures.
Sounds like you had a great time celebrating your birthday! Sounds like a lot of fun. Love the outfit. I wish our thrift stores had great bargains like that instead of the stained, faded things I see there 🙁 oh well, I’ll just have to keep on looking and some day I will find a treasure!
Linda in Pittsburgh
Linda,
The secret is to find a Goodwill (or other thrift store) within a couple miles of a nicer neighborhood. Works every time!
I’m glad you had a happy birthday, Becky! And tell Steve that he has made ALL us ’62 babies feel old! 😉
Angela,
Let’s hear it for ’62 babies! 🙂 (Even though we are sort of old-ish.)
Happy (belated) birthday! It sounds like it was wonderful!
Suzanne,
It was a fun time. I’m ready to get busy being 53.
Happy Birthday to a fellow March baby. I so enjoy the updates of your family life. I have a photo you took of our son Jonathan and friends with Nathan in Escanaba for Nathan’s 7th birthday, I believe it was. We always enjoyed when you visited the church and we collected your tapes and cd’s. We still have them btw. I am also a grandma now with 4 grandsons. I look forward to checking what you’ve posted on your blog. I laugh, cry, smile and feel the warmth of your heartfelt writings and of course the photos, being a fellow lover of clicking away, especially of the grandchildren. Anyway, enjoy your birthday week.
Karen,
How wonderful to hear from you! You Escanaba folks were so very wonderful to our family and especially to Nathan. From what I recall, we were able to be with you several years in a row right around Nathan’s birthday so he had the chance to actually have a few birthday parties with little fellas that weren’t strangers. (For a change.) We have so many happy memories of Escanaba and the Derheims and all you wonderful folks.
Glad you had a HapYy BiRtHdAy!!!. I love Goodwill and thrift stores too. Love to go to antique stores, but don’t buy much anymore. I have so much already and don’t need anything, but do love to look.
Rix,
I agree–looking is half the fun! 🙂
So happy you had a wonderful birthday. Now another year of memories and a new grandchild to join the family. God is so good!
Ann,
yes, it’s nice that those grand kids keep arriving!
Late Happy Birthday Becky. Haven’t read your site yet, just that yesterday was your birthday, and I’m sure your family made it very special for you, including the famous birthday hat. Continue to pray for you, for your health, for strength and may the Lord bless the socks off of you!!!
Sharyn,
Health, strength and my socks blessed off. Sounds like a good prayer to me!
Oh, I missed it. I am so glad it was a happy day (well, weekend). Your family certainly knows how to do birthdays just right! Love the outfit from the thrift store – especially that coat, yummy!
Mary,
Yes, I will enjoy that thrift store coat for a very long time; glad you liked the outfit!
a coat from Nordstrom was probably 50 x $10 originally. Mrs. G. and I enjoy having lunch in Nordstrom’s restaurant, and the prices of the most pitiful articles of clothing are beyond belief. you made a prudent investment.
I liked Steve’s candle analogy for his sermon. Many moons ago the ass’t minister at church was desperately trying to make a point of the Light of Christ with her pitiful flashlight. of course, it never lit. maybe she actually made a good point since I remember the incident’s message, and probably would never have thought of it again had the flashlight worked.
Glad you had a fun birthday.
Mrs. Pam,
it sounds like great fun to have lunch in Nordstrom’s restaurant.
It’s funny that you remembered the message from years ago better because it didn’t work out as planned. Too funny.
But… but… what WAS the message?!
C’mon, Mrs. Pam, fill us in! Please?
something along the lines of the Light of Christ brightens the faith of those who follow Jesus.
Happy Birthday Becky, I am so grateful that I came across your blog a few years ago. I love your writing and you have made me laugh and cry and even though we have never met, I feel like I know you and your family so well!! Since I am in Wake Forest, maybe one of these days I will make my way over to the ocean and visit your church! It would be nice to meet in person….
Dale,
Yes, give us a holler if you get in the area!
I have followed you from the very beginning. God is great—and he has blessed your family in so many ways.
Anonymous,
Thanks for following along for so long–we appreciate you being part of the journey.
Happy Birthday Becky. Thank you for sharing your family with all of us. 🙂
Mel,
It is my joy!
Happy Birthday!! Looks like you had a great day!
Robin,
It was a great day and I’m not feeling TOO much older yet. 🙂
Belated Happy Birthday, Becky! Love the new coat! Glad you had a good celebration.
Liz,
Thanks for the birthday wishes. I feel so blessed to have people remember me on my special day!
Happy Birthday Becky, looks like you had a great day! Love your outfit. My daughter loves thrift stores. She gets lots of great deals. Thanks for posting all of your pictures too. I really enjoy them. Have a fantastic day!
Shawn,
Good for your daughter–loving thrift stores. You raised her right! 🙂
What a fun birthday! Gee…I was feeling quite young at 60 (last month) until reading Steve’s take! The coat is beautiful and Steve’s candle/reflected light message is great for this non-extrovert!
Guerrina,
Well, at least you got to feel young for an entire month!
Becky, thanks for sharing your birthday with us! Pastor Steve’s “candle lesson” was brilliant! 🙂
Twin Clarinets,
Well, he is such a brilliant kind of guy!
I’m glad that your birthday was a happy one. I especially like the selfies that you and Steve took. Funny and so fun! 🙂
LeeAnne,
Selfies are not really our “first language” but it’s fun to do them every now and then!
Glad you had a Happy Birthday. Your “thrift shop” outfit is very stylish. My mom- 88 years young is the Queen of thrift shopping and I would say you are just behind her in line – I of course am prejudice. Have a great day. Tell Steve – love the candle example- can I borrow the idea for a sunday school lesson?
Becky,
Certainly. Borrow away!
And I love that your mom is still thrifting at 88. She is my role model!
sounds like another fabulous birthday.. I love thrift store gifts, but you are so lucky to be able to find clothes there that are so pretty and nice. I can never find anything for me to wear when I go there. maybe because fat ladies don’t give their clothes to good will, I don’t know what they do with them. any way I like Steve’s sermon with the candle and mirror it is a good lesson worth remembering
Sharon,
So glad you liked Steve’s illustration; I know that I will remember it for a long time! Good luck in future thrifting–don’t give up!