Birthday Season ...

This week was the first day of spring, lovely ... warmer weather, beautiful flowers, the "oh my gosh summer's almost here" time. For me and my family the approach of spring/summer is birthday season. My mom, brother, and dad all have there birthdays within a span of 2 weeks! yes ... 2 weeks! Not only is it a lot of what do I get mom ... 7 days later now what do I get Pat ... 2 days later now what do I get dad? In the span of 2 weeks we all get tired of wrapping, eating cakes, pies, cookies, or whatever said birthday person requests. Then about 3-4 weeks later its Myyyyyyy Birthdayyyyyyy! I LOVE my birthday, next to christmas it is my 2nd favorite day of the year. Maybe when I am much much older I'll hate my birthday but for now I love it! I love cake presents, being with my family, and getting to pick out what I want for dinner :)

When I first met Phil I was stumped that he didn't go all out for birthdays nor did he enjoy them with the same GREAT enthusiam that I had. I counted today that we've actually been in each others lives for 8 birthdays. Although I can't remember if I wished him a happy birthday the first time we had met, since I was not at Gardner-webb yet. Nevertheless, I def. caught him the next year. In college Phil was pretty easy to shop for. He didn't shop for himself much, so I would go to the mall and find him a few collared shirts, a beer mug or a shot glass, something UGA, and maybe a picture of us. I think I gave him the same "type" of gifts for our entire college history. When we got out of college and went shopping together, I stopped getting him the polo shirts that he now bought for himself and started venturing out into bigger and better things. Every year I hear the same "i don't want anything for my birthday because I don't need anything". I get this same phrase (minus birthday add christmas) in December. And for the past 7 years I've tried to explain my belief on birthdays and christmas's and about wants not needs. Do you really need an xbox? or a recliner? Ok don't answer that! Anyways, I can usually squeeze one idea out of him, but then he usually goes back on it and says no don't get me that. I can't recall if it was last year or the year before but my gifts SUCKED. I ran to target on the way home from work (on his birthday) and picked up a filing cabinet, a cd, and a movie (that i wanted to watch). I wrapped it in the garage and brought it inside. I may have been more dissapointed than phil knowing I had supplied such a crappy array of gifts. A file cabinet? What was I thinking ... anyways I've now learned to be a little more prepared, as I can't make a decision to save my life so I always end up going back and forth. It's now the end of March, 2 weeks or so until Phil's birthday. He'll be here next weekend which gives me only this weekend to shop. I've been thinking about gifts for about 3 weeks. I made a list at work and when I think of something new I write it down and usually by the end of the day I've crossed it out. This is our first married birthday and I want to make it special. I tried to throw a surprise party but apparently April 5th is also a popular wedding date and basically 15 of our friends were all busy. So now we've got a nice dinner planned and if I can get my act together some nice presents to open.

At least I have a small break before the 2 weeks of birthday maddness begin in June. I already know what I am getting my mom, she's so easy :) Pat is also difficult because he has everything or he buys it for himself. And dad I have one little gift so far that I think I'm getting him. Living at home has opened my eyes to many possible gifts for my presents, which may be why phils present this year is particularly hard to determine what would be "the perfect gift".

On another note, another week down and the weekend should be fun. I'll try to take some pictures and post them. I'm too tired to even look at computers after work during the week and I'll have to make up for it on the weekends. The weather has been beautiful this week and I've got a 4 day work week next week which will be nice :) And on a side note there's been some talk about some international gdubb tennis alumni coming to visit this summer ... which would be incredibly fun. So here's hoping it all works out :)