Happy Birthday!

Yesterday was Leiya's 18th birthday! She specifically told us that she didn't want a party or anything special so it went by with hardly more than a "Happy Birthday!" from each family member and a lot of hugs.

I remember for my son's 18th birthday I gave him an organ donor's card because he insisted on buying a very large motorcycle. (I was adamantly against him getting a motorcycle but he did it anyway.) In Japan, you can legally donate your organs from 18 and I wanted him to think of the possible consequences of motorcycle riding and realize he really was an adult who could make serious choices now. (I think I also bought him a very expensive motorcycle helmet!)

Over the course of the month and while Leiya was in Japan, we bought her things that might not normally be on our purchase list with the understanding that it was "an early birthday present." Earrings, a pricey skirt, a new watch. Marcy and Keion paid for the tickets to the American Idol concert and that was considered a birthday present too. Anyway, we didn't just ignore Leiya's birthday yesterday but we didn't do anything either.

However, yesterday I had a lunch date with an old high school friend and her daughter and so we drove out to meet them and had a nice couple of hours catching up. Jane always keeps track of my birthday (and lets me know I'm the older woman by two months!) and she'd arranged for the restaurant people to bring me a little ice cream sundae. "Not me!! It's Leiya's birthday today!" So the sundae got placed before Leiya and the waiters and waitresses all sang Happy Birthday to her and she got a mini birthday celebration after all!


Happy Birthday Leiya!