Happy Birthday To Me -

And since it is my blog I get to type about whatever I want on my birthday, right?  RIGHT! 

Well, this morning I woke up to a bunch of kisses from hubby at what seemed to be like 2:00 AM, for I just wasn't ready to open my eyes or have a conversation of any kind.  Then soon following that I have a cute little boy singing over me "Happy Birthday to you, cha-cha-cha!" with his oh so disgusting, I think I am going to throw up very sweet morning breath!  While turning on the light and yanking my eye mask off my face to make me read his card he got for me.  I could barely get my eyes to open to focus, but some how I managed to read the words of that very cute LARGE card he gave me. Thank you Hunter-bunter I love you boo. 

Following that I am greeted with the cutest little girl smile that is oh so contagious.  Butterfly, looking at me with those bright eyes as if she just saw me for the first time in her life and is just so excited to see me.  I love that look.  Then, I got to kiss her wet slobbery lips and sniff that breath that never has a day of stink to it.  Love it.  I think she wants to say "mama" today, she has been saving it for this day today!  Yea Right!

Then as if a mommy couldn't be more pleased or ask for more, I am greeted with a bunch of "meows" by my two lions who are saying to me feed me 'Happy Birthday to best Mom ever, ever, ever'.....! All to find that one of them had puked in one of my dinning room chairs.  Nice!  I love them anyways! 

So, its my birthday hu?  It really just feels like another day.  It is to that point where you don't even think about it until it really is here.  You no longer go to bed excited about it as you did when younger.  You no longer count down the days until it is here because you are just that excited.  Instead, when you get to this point, and when someone says the wrong age that you are, while brushing your teeth you actually have to take a moment to think about it.  Asking yourself, how old am I?  Are they right or am I just going that crazy?  To find yourself doing the subtraction in your head to confirm that, yea, you are getting that old young, but aren't going that crazy yet (key word YET). 

So, I take my son to school this morning and on the way home I see a little kitty that he been hit by a car.  It couldn't have happened long before I arrived, because it was not there on the way to school.  Of course being the animal lover I am, I just had to turn around and go pick it up.  I happened to have a bag in my car and so I wrapped him up.  He was still a bit warm and limp.  It was very sad.  I picked him up carefully and placed him in my car.  Took him over to the guard gate gentlemen and asked if they could call whom ever it is they call to come and pick up the kitty.  The guys, being jerks lazy (as I often seen them to be at that guard gate when I have had to deal with them)  were refusing to help me.  Telling me that he is allergic to cats.  What? I said to him "you don't have to hold the dead cat or take it home with you, I am simply asking that you have someone pick it up.  I am doing you guys a favor from having it continue to be ran over." He told me he would give me the number and I could have someone pick it up.  

Nope!  

So, I then said "I am going to lay the kitty down right here, and you can decide what to do with it."  I said "this is part of your responsibility, part of why I pay hundreds of dollars in fees to live here.  You can help me and the rest of the paying owners that live here by getting this kitty off our streets and call the animal control guys yourself. Have a nice day."  I know  a bit harsh, but come on, do they have to be the way they were being to me.  I mean it is MY birthday today, right?  *winking*

As I am driving away, I feel a bit sad and angry.  Sad for the kitty, because I had a vision that the guy tossed him in a trash can, but then again what would the animal control do differently?  Nothing! Angry, because the guy was simply being rude, lazy and inconsiderate.  And didn't he know is after all my birthday today.  A birthday girl gets what she wants!  LOL Well, at least I pretend that to be the case today.  Ugh!!! 

By the way, as I am turning my car around, I see the guy walking out to "write down" my license plate number.  Oh no, what will happen to ME, for cleaning up a dead kitty out of the streets so it doesn't continue to get ran over and passing children don't have to be faced with such a horrible site?  Ridiculous!  

Okay, on to something more enthusiastic, at least I think so anyways.  For the last week my daily devotionals that I read by Purpose Driven Life, have been talking on the subject of Christmas.  Every day giving some devotion on what is really behind this word "Christmas".  Today's topic is that God Changes Us.  As I sat here reading it, I really thought, what a great devotions to read today, on my birthday.  I may be 31 25 years old young today, but I can still be changed.  You can still teach this old dog (although, I'd rather be considered a cat) new tricks.  I loved reading this devotion and thought I would share it, because it is my birthday, my blog and I can!   We all can be changed, but we can't do it on our own.

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Christmas: God Changes Us
by Rick Warren

I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question? Romans 7:24 (MSG) 

*** *** *** ***

Have you figured out yet that a lot of times you are your own worst enemy? It’s your own reactions, your own fears, your own inadequacies that cause you to act in foolish ways. I know that’s true for me.

I need to be saved from myself because there are things I don’t like about me – things I wish I had done differently, things I’d like to change. But I can’t change them, not on my own power. I need an outside power source.

You may be saying, “I can change.” I hate to say this, but you can’t. In January, you’re going to make a list of New Year’s resolutions. And, by the end of January, that list will be in the dumpster. Why? Because you can’t change on your own; you need God’s power. You need a Savior, someone who can make the changes you can’t make yourself.

Let me make an important point here: God never wastes energy. He doesn’t waste effort on things that are unnecessary. In other words, if you didn’t need a Savior, he wouldn’t have sent one. The very fact that God sent a Savior means you need one.

The truth is, if you are honest about it, sometimes you feel like your life is out of control. That’s a pretty common feeling. Welcome to the human race!

The apostle Paul felt that way 2,000 years ago. Paul says this in the Bible: “I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does” (Romans 7:24-25 MSG). That’s the answer!

Let me be honest with you. You may be looking for salvation in the wrong places, that’s why you’re frustrated. You’re looking for that one thing that’s going to give you fulfillment and meaning and peace in life.

Some of us think that if we could just get married, or if we could just get a certain job, or a promotion, or attain a certain level of wealth, or have a baby – or if our babies would grow up and graduate! – things would be great.

You’re looking in the wrong places.

A lot of people are looking for salvation in a self-help book. Or they’re looking for it in therapy or in a fad or diet. Or they’re looking for it in a vacation, “If I could just escape to Tahiti, everything would be great.” The problem is that if you go to Tahiti, you’re taking you with you!

The answer is not in a place. It’s not in a program or a pill. The answer is a person: Jesus Christ. You were made by God and for God, and until you understand that, life is never going to make sense.

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Wasn't that a great devotional and doesn't it just give you a great outlook on your life and it's future?  It does for me. I pray and ask God every day to change me.  I ask him often, that he probably wants to say back to me "okay, okay, I heard you the zillionth time, you want me to make you more like Me." Yes, I do! I ask God to make me be more Christ like every day, to help me to be the parent to my children as he is to His, and the wife to my husband as he is to the church.  When someone hurts me or rubs me wrong, I ask to be reminded to love that unlovable person even more.  I ask that God help me with my words and my responses in my reactions to things I may not like.  I can't do it myself.  I have a mouth on me and I can tend to be hurtful with my mouth, if I feel hurt first.  As most humans do and would.  I need Gods help to either keep my mouth closed, or help change my thoughts so that my words then follow.  It all starts with Him and your heart.  I ask God to show me how to love how he loves.  So this devotion reminded me, that I am still being worked on, that I still can and am changing, because I am the clay and his is the potterer. LOVE THAT!   

I am so thankful! 

I am done with my Christmas shopping (other than a couple of things I need to go pick up for hubby).  That will be done today as soon as I get off of here, and get baby girl and myself ready to go.  

I have to go buy a new vacuum today too, for mine said "all done." But that is not what I am thankful for. That was just one of those "multi-tasking" thoughts running through my head, reminding myself as I sit here and type to not forget to get a vacuum today.  

Anyways -

I am thankful because I woke up to house full of my favorite people and things.  I woke up to my husband, the most handsome man I know. I am thankful that he is here with me to celebrate this day with me together. That we are here as a family. I am thankful for my two beautiful and healthy children.  That I am blessed with my one girl and my one boy.  I am thankful for my kitties, that I have been with me for 13 years.  They have been through it all with me and have traveled the world with me.  That move "Marley and Me" that is coming out, I bet I cry the entire movie because I will totally relate to the story of it through my years with my kitties, except of course the bad animal behavior part.  They are great, kind, gentle, loving, affectionate and beautiful cats.  They are healthy and have been my snuggle buddies for 13 years.  

I am thankful for my own health.  I am thankful for my home, my career and for all my loving, supportive friends and family.  I am a very blessed girl women.  

Thank you for all that have sent me birthday e-cards, wishes and blessings.  Thank you for caring enough to read my blog, to learn a little about my family and our lives as the chapters unfold by one amazing author, GOD! 

Happy Birthday To Me! Cha-Cha-Cha! 

PS:  As part of my birthday, hubby is treating me to a spa day with my friend Noelle. Her birthday is tomorrow!  Yummy!!!! 

Today's Quote 

Only one thing has to change for us to know happiness in our lives: where we focus our attention.