What a great way to say you love someone by putting together a birthday book of their memorable stories for that year or decade. This book can be of your own doing, or you can invite other people storytelling about that person and have it be a quilt of captured stories from individuals who know and love this person. Whatever way you go, it’s a gift that provides inspiration, motivation, and affirmations to the celebration of this unique individual.

My middle daughter, Ame turned thirty while I was in Chicago because of my cousin’s wife’s memorial. I didn’t have any choice if I was going to go to the memorial. Ame was quite alright with this because we had celebrated on the Friday before my red-eye to Chicago.

I took it as a positive sign that I was up North my last night in Chicago which happened to be Ame’s birthday. I was up with The Zemtseff clan, so Glen, Mom, Linda and I sang Happy Birthday to Ame. And then we drove by our old house where she was born thirty years ago. I wrote a short story that will be the ending of her birthday book. The previous pages will contain stories about her twenties so she can look back on them with fondness as she grows in further joy and awareness in her thirties.

This story is what I sent to her:

“The right upper window as you look at the house is where Katie slept. The left upper window ran the full length of the house, and that was The Master Bedroom where you were born.

The day before we helped your Aunt Ginny and Uncle Gary pack to start their new lives in LA. We came home to a full moon doubled, and my labor started about 1:00 or so.

Gramma and Grandpa came to take Katie while Fred, the Doctor, and Martha, The Midwife came to help me deliver you. You were born about 8:30 in summer sunshine as the softball field behind us came alive with the sounds of children’s shouts, screams, cheers and the ball hitting the bat.

I swaddled you and was so excited to have you. Gramma and Grampa brought Katie back soon after to meet you. She was so excited to hold you.

Katie, confidently said she knew you were going to be a girl. I asked, ‘why?’, and Katie said, ‘because I asked God to bring me a sister every night.’

You are so loved Amelia Bedelia. Forever and ever.

Happy Thirty Years Old.

May this new decade bring you joy and happiness you have yet to experience.”

Thank-you for reading this blog.

#bethlord

#yourthinbooksrock

#writeheartmemories

#yourpersonalhistorian

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