celebrating.

 

 

I know you're probably thinking what everyone else is thinking:

Is this girl's birthday over yet? 

Clearly you do not know me.

In all seriousness, I catch a lot of flack for celebrating my birthday all month long. Even my 92-year-old grandmother looked at me in confusion when I told her I was having a party this weekend. "Another one?" she asked, rather incredulously. "Didn't we just do that?"

Yes. Yes, we did.

But on Saturday night, I celebrated again, this time with the help of some of the most wonderful friends a girl could ask for.

And when all was said and done, it was all worth it: the planning. The money. The trips to Party City. The last-minute food decisions (we catered. because honestly? me cooking for 20 people would have been fun for no one).

I had begun to have some doubts over the last few days that a party would even be worth it. Because I started to realize: Grown-ups don't really throw themselves birthday parties.

But whose idea was that anyway?

Because I don't think celebrating has to be a kids-only thing.

And I had one of those moments on Saturday night.  When I looked at my friends laughing and talking so loudly that I couldn't even hear the music anymore. And I thought: This is what life is meant to look like. And I wish we had more moments like that. Wish that sometimes it didn't take so much effort and work to encourage conversation and slowness and fellowship and time-out-from-life-ness.

But sometimes, the good things take work.

And Saturday night was a good thing.

Growing up, my parents made a big deal out of my birthday. We're just a family that celebrates. And on Saturday morning before the party, when my mom and dad stopped by to check out my handiwork (that I'd completed with the help of a very patient husband and some very loving family members), dad told my mom something that I thought made it all worth it.

He said he was glad to see his daughter living out a legacy of celebration.

I know I can be a little bit ridiculous about party-planning and birthdays and holidays... But why not?

Why not be a little ridiculous?

Why not celebrate the milestones?

What's life without a little bit of celebration?

So, look, let's forget about being grown-ups sometimes. Because being grown-up is hard: bills and late nights and early mornings and jobs that make us stir-crazy and taxes and grocery shopping and being so tired you put your pajamas on at 6:00.

Let's take some time out of the schedule -- even if it takes some work -- to celebrate. Birthdays, new jobs, friendships, love, our favorite television shows or board games: Let's just celebrate.

Because in the midst of it all, I think we're supposed to have a little bit of fun.

Post-edit: My dress was a Valentine's Day gift from the hubs. It's from ModCloth and can be purchased here. The cake was the creation of my very talented friend, Julianne.