Birthday 2011 - a tale of ten songs

I certainly enjoyed celebrating my birthday this year. :-) Here are the highlights:

On the eve of my birthday, my sweet friends noted the outfit I wore to choir practice and observed that I looked like a college student. I took this as a great compliment since I got out of college...13 years ago. (eek!)

I opened a gift from my parents first thing in the morning; a fun sweater & blouse. My mom knows I like it when she gives me clothes, since I usually dread shopping for them myself. My dear friend Tammy came to visit me in the afternoon, and she brought homemade cupcakes with chocolate icing. I had made strawberry cupcakes, and I served them to my students all week (there are still a few more to pass out today and Monday), but it was fun to be the recipient of such a treat.

Cards arrived in the mail from my husband's aunt, from Miss Annette at church, and from the "Moss Gang". The hand-made card from my 4-year-old niece to "AUNTAMANDA" was fun, and so was the Kohl's gift card! Friends sent me messages & "wall posts" on facebook through the day, and I enjoyed reading them, since I don't let the program tell people it's my birthday; they have to remember or figure it out!

At dinner, my husband presented me with a gift that was wrapped at a jewelry store!! He consulted with some of his female coworkers who have lived here a long time, and they told him the best jewelry store in the area was over in Sylvester, so unbeknownst to me, he took his mom over there and selected a necklace for me. The chain is a sparkly silver (it almost looks like diamonds), and it's interspersed with pearls. So lovely. I was touched that in the midst of the busyness and stress of work, he made time to select something special for me. I love my man...

Birthday song #1 was sung by my husband before we got out of bed in the morning. He is NOT a singer, mind you, and it was very sweet that he chose to sing to me.

Birthday song #2 was on the telephone, courtesy of Mr. Russell Cates. He has been a member of my church for many years, and his ministry is to call members on their birthdays, sing the song, and remind them that Jesus loves them. Mr. Russell makes me smile.

Song #3 was via Skype! My sweet and busy sister taught her kids the birthday song EARLY, and it was fun to watch them sing to me; technology is so cool. Thanks, Mel, for finding those few minutes for me in your VERY FULL day!

Songs #1-3 all happened before 8:00, and at 9:00 my parents called & sang to me on the phone. They said, "Has anyone sung 'Happy Birthday' to you yet?" I told them that they were song #4 of the day!

Someone once told me that I should have my students play "happy birthday" for me on the piano on my special day, but I haven't specifically taught them to play it since we're prepping for piano festival in about 2 weeks. I couldn't help but smile when one of my students arrived at his lesson with a printout of the "Happy Birthday" music that his mom had found on the internet, and he played it for me before we started our lesson. Birthday song #5 was an unexpected treat!

You might not count song #6, but *I* do, and that's what matters. For several years, I played keyboard at my home church (First Assembly of God, Gainesville FL) and for a season, I got to share the platform with the Whitesel family. Julie, Janet, Keith, Kraig & Jeana were a fine bunch of musicians, and when Janet posted the happy birthday lyrics with music note icons included, I could HEAR her singing it, if only in my mind's ear.

Song # 7 was courtesy of another student (and his mom) who called me on the phone and sang a lively rendition of "Happy Birthday", complete with a "cha-cha-cha" at the end of every line! (ironically, songs #5 and #7 were both performed by students named Jacob)

Song #8 was provided by my MIL & FIL. They wanted to take us out to dinner for my birthday, even though that meant a rather LATE meal for them; they usually dine at 5:15, and I wasn't done with lessons until about 6:30, so we arrived at the restaurant well after 7:00. As they got in the car, they started singing the song, but they didn't finish it. I briefly mentioned my "count" of songs, and joked that theirs wouldn't count, being incomplete, so they took it from the top and sang through to the end. My FIL is notorious for knowing short portions of songs, never the whole thing, and he is 90 years old with Alzheimers, so I'm glad for a fun memory of their song to file away in the cabinet of my mind.

Let's see.... Birthday song #9 was presented by my girlfriends, the same ones who gave me the compliment at choir the night before. At choir we decided to have a girls-night-in / wii party / happy-birthday-Amanda night. They brought me a slice of DELICIOUS cheesecake with a birthday candle in it, and we all know that when there's a candle you HAVE to have the song!! Christen & Meredith, thanks for having me as a friend, even though I'm an "old lady"! Thanks to you, I DID get to blow out a candle on my birthday.

And finally, song #10 was posted on my facebook page shortly before midnight. It was done in Solfege (sol sol la sol do ti, etc.), and I found it especially unique since it included the tag, "and many more---". Way to go, Hank! Next year, can you use Fixed Do solfege, and transpose it to the key of Eb?

I am thankful to my friends & family for a fun day. I am most thankful to God for granting me this life (I have completed 34 years now, in case you were wondering), for offering me the gift of salvation & eternal life, and for using my friends & family to bless me on my birthday. He is so, so good.