Since we already had Sarah’s official birthday celebration (the Tea Party, which I will finish telling you about on Monday) we had just a small gathering at our house on her actual birthday.
Miss Sarah, the Seventeen Year Old.
We invited Taylor and her family over to share the birthday cake with us.
Later in the evening, Sarah opened her gifts.
Steve is the gift wrapper in our house; when he does it, they are neat, well organized, and color coordinated. When I do it, the gifts are thrown into bags and tissue paper is casually thrown into the bags after the gifts in a haphazardly sort of fashion. Wrapping gifts is not my gift.
Here is something Sarah has always wanted–a box of butter! (Steve is also gifted in the way he packages gifts–obviously, there was something in the box other than butter!)
Speaking of creativity, he put a blouse (that I got from the thrift store) in an empty Kleenex box. Nothing like keeping the giftee guessing.
Another thrift store purchase that I knew my writerly daughter would love.
Her big present this year was a video camera which her Grandma and Grandpa Smith chipped in on. Sarah wants to become more proficient at video editing and figured it would be helpful to have a video camera so she’d have something to edit!
Seventeen. I still can’t believe it. I’m so thankful for the gift her life is.
I also agree with Jan and Nancy. Having never really “met” any of you, I feel so especially close and like you are family and we are part of your life. And is is all because of the gift of Sarah’s life. Does she know how many people are better and more fulfilled and loved because of her presence on this Earth? Love you all, maybe someday we could all try to meet – a Smithellaneous reunion of sorts.
P.S. I am also so happy my log in symbol is red – one of my favorite colors – just a little nonsensical comment for a Monday morning.
Mary H., glad you’re happy about red! If you’re happy, I’M happy! 🙂 Thanks for your sweet words about Sarah and our family; you are too kind.
So happy for all. Last year’s birthday will always be a special memory for us. Now she can video, too! We bought a video camera 4 years ago because of a grandchild and have not used it in about 3 years. Well, Thanksgiving we will see both grandchildren so maybe we’ll charge the battery and hope it still works. Love Steve’s gift wrapping. Is he for hire?
Ann, when you have grandchildren, you have lots of fun scenes to video tape. Enjoy!
I just had the strangest reaction to what you wrote: ” I’m so thankful for the gift her life is.” The response that came to my mind was something like, “As we all are.” And then I remembered that I’ve never met Sarah, or any of you. If you were walking down the street and passed me, you’d just keep walking because you’d have no idea who I am. But Becky, with your amazing writing, you’ve made Sarah and all of you very real to us!!!
Which is a very long, convoluted way of getting to my point, which is that Sarah is most certainly a gift. A gift to you, her entire family, her friends, her community….well, you can keep that going to Infinity (which is probably a small town in Pennsylvania;).
I’m so glad it was such a special birthday celebration!
I totally agree with Jan, I too feel like I’ve known all of you for a very long time, and Sarah is definitely a gift you have shared with all of us. So, thank you for the gift of Sarah and thank you for the gift of being part of the smith family. With love .. Xoxo
Nancy, without our wonderful readers we wouldn’t even HAVE a Smithellaneous family so we are grateful for YOU!
Jan, thanks for your sweet words about my writing; that means so much to know that the words I’ve written over the years have connected with reader’s hearts. Makes it all worthwhile.
But I must say, if we DO ever pass you on the street, please grab our arm or something and introduce yourself!