My alarm went off at 6:00 in the morning, which is most
unusual for a Saturday. I don’t believe I would get up that early for many
reasons, but this was a special day. It was my cousin’s 40th surprise birthday
party. Emily was five years old when I was born, and she has been a staple in
my life—a steadfast presence. Once the alarm went off, it was go time. My
caregiver came at 6:30—bless her heart, because it’s usually 10:00. I do
realize this is a serious perk of being single. Today was going to be a great
day!
I had my caregiver dress me in a floral sweater and light blue jeans. I also really like the way she does my makeup, so I was grateful she came that morning. I quickly grabbed an iced cold brew from the fridge and a blueberry muffin. Yes, I do stock these things in the fridge to make the morning go smoothly. I’ve been living independently for almost 18 years. I’ve learned a few life hacks over the years. My mom came to pick me up, and we had a two-hour drive ahead of us.
It was a nice two-hour drive with my mom. We talked about what was going on in our lives and the people we love most. I like having this time one-on-one with my parents; it’s a really nice way to have all the time in the world to talk without worrying about how long it takes to type a message. We pulled up to a large but quaint coffee shop. It used to be a church, and the shop owner kept the stained glass windows. For a woman who loves Jesus and coffee, I was quite happy.
Emily has two little kids who own a huge chunk of my heart. They got there before Emily did. I hugged my seven-year-old and actually managed to have the coordination to pick her up. This was the first time in my life I was able to do that. I hugged her older brother, who is ten years old—going on twenty-five—so I gave him a bear hug. I couldn’t love them more.
“How long have you guys known?” Dad asked.
“A few weeks,” the kids replied.
“It’s a little scary how well they can keep a secret,” Jacob, Emily’s husband,
replied.
I shook my head in agreement.
After about a half hour, Emily was coming! We got a two-minute warning, and then the countdown began: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1! “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EMILY!!!” everyone shouted. My cousin was so surprised. The expression on her face was the epitome of shock and pure joy. It was a moment of seeing my cousin truly happy.
For two hours, we talked and laughed together.
“Hey Hannah!” Emily exclaimed. “I’m so excited to see you.
Thank you for coming,” she continued.
“Wouldn’t miss this for the world!” I replied.
I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. I loved celebrating you all. You all bring me so much joy. It’s always an honor to be able to celebrate you.
One last very exciting thing! I met one of my favorite authors, Wade Rouse. He is a USA Today best-selling author and is absolutely brilliant. Wade and his husband, Gary, are going to put me in touch with
his agent, which is amazing. I took an online class with them in February, and they were very impressed with my writing skills. I can’t wait to connect and see where this leads.
It’s been a really lovely month. Spring is starting to shed winter’s harsh coat and replace it with colorful flowers and light. Let’s enjoy this season. May it offer you a renewed sense of hope.
With all that spring has to offer,
Hannah!
