So my older daughter turned three several months ago and I never posted about her birthday. Poor girl’s special day got all caught up in the drama of getting kicked out of our country on the other side of the globe.
The night before her birthday was actually the evening we sat together with friends and prayed and cried and accepted the fact that we had to leave our country and fast. It was an emotional and unreal evening. On top of that, we had a house-guest staying with us. Someone we had never met before who didn’t have much understanding of our situation.
I don’t know how I remembered late that night to make preparations for her birthday morning traditions…
Surprise balloons in the bedroom to wake up to,
hanging the birthday banner,
setting a special place setting for breakfast and wrapping gifts.
N didn’t know that her little world was about to change. “I’m free (three)!!!”, she is saying here.
After she ate she plopped on the floor to open her gifts.
And our new friend plopped down with her once he actually realized what was happening (which was awhile). It was all very odd. I sat there on the floor taking photos of my daughter on third birthday thinking ‘We have to leave. We have to leave.” And this new friend (read: virtual stranger) is sitting here sharing this special birthday moment and has no idea of the scope of the decision we just had to make the night before. Over breakfast he was telling all kinds of stories to us. In my head I am counting the hours left in my home and beginning to formulate a plan to liquidate our lives of six and a half years. And he is still just telling stories while sipping coffee. Oh my.
It was a very VERY odd moment. It was a ‘my life is weird’ moment.
Just now when Mike looked at the photo above, he bust out laughing. This morning was just so very very weird. I don’t know what else to say.
In any case, N opened her sweet gifts!
Because we immediately started packing and giving things away, N tried to give this skirt away as soon as she got it. She loved giving her things away. But I couldn’t let her… it was just too cute! So it came back with us.
Luckily I had ONE piece of cake in my deep freezer and a bit of icing. It saved the day. I am not sure I would have been able to pull off a birthday cake that day.
We all shared that one piece of cake in the evening.
Happy Birthday N, almost five months late! Your third birthday was a memorable one, to be sure! Love you so!
I remember N's birthday. We skyped and were curious as to how you were celebrating (knowing the circumstances under which you were living). You were kind of surprised that anyone in the world was thinking about her birthday, considering that your world was crumbling around you!! You probably were ready to have a birthday recognition (as opposed to a celebration) on her behalf --- but I remember being sooooooo sad that it wouldn't be a party for her!! I'm glad that you still had a piece of cake for her big day. And I'm so grateful that later on......when you landed in the Springs, your dear friends thought to have a belated party for her big day!!!
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