The One With the Birthday Surprise

The One With the Birthday Surprise

The day after Zachy was born, I celebrated my 36th birthday.

Only with all the excitement of a new baby in the family and as I was still recovering in hospital following an emergency C-section, my big 3-6 took a bit of a backseat that year.

The next year, my baby turned one and that kind of trumped my boring 37.

When he turned 2 and 3, we were on holiday in Crete.  I celebrated my 38th birthday on a beach, with a packet of cheese & onion crisps and a diet coke. The Greek God(zilla) took me out for dinner to a gorgeous restaurant later that evening and we loved it so much, we went back there again for my 39th birthday.  As nice as they have been, it is probably fair to say that for the past few years, my birthday celebrations have been somewhat low-key affairs.

But 40 is different.  Everyone expects you to do something BIG.  There is more expectation for you to have a good time on your 40th than there is on New Year’s Eve, which incidentally the Greek God(zilla) and I don’t ‘do’ either.

There was also the small detail that my 40th tied in with my ‘retirement’ and Zachy’s 4th birthday, his last before starting big school.

The date signified more than just entering a new decade for me; it was the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter in all of our lives. One we couldn’t just let go by without raising a glass or two with all the people who have been there with us along the way.

We invited our families and friends of family.  Zachy invited his little buddies from nursery, the Greek God(zilla) invited some of his mates from the cricket club, and I invited my Mum friends, work friends, local friends, WI friends and all my besties scattered all over the world!

Obviously, I knew they would not all be able to come but I wanted them to know that I was thinking of them.

I mean, nobody travels thousands of miles to attend a party, do they? Not unless they are Rihanna.

Or my good friend, Dr. Pete, from Canada.

Dr Pete

And even then, surely it would have to be for a pretty special occasion, not just for any old party…

Not just for MY birthday…?

Well, yes actually.  It appears that they would.

I have no idea how the Greek God(zilla), or any of my other friends in the ‘know’ managed to keep it a secret from me.

One minute I was ushering twelve 4-year olds into the bubble room and the next, there she was.

My friend of twenty years.

We have worked together, lived together, played together.

She has been there through all of the bad haircuts, the truly terrible fashion choices, and a fair few Mr.Wrongs.

She knew me back when I still had clear skin, a size 10 waistline, and wanted to marry Pacey Witter.

She knew me long before I became a wife and a mother, and all the time in between when I worried if I ever would.

My bridesmaid.

Four years ago, she moved overseas with her family and they have been settled in New York for the most part of that.

Then, there she was. Standing in front of me, at my 40th birthday party, to see me into another new era.

Lins surprise 1 Lins surprise 2 1231083_10151865754810330_331053580_n

I was so excited that I partied like it was 1999.  I woke up the next morning, having gone to bed just 3-hours before, looking and feeling every one of my 40-years.

And, I could not have been any happier.

*****

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12 Comments

    • Grenglish
      Author
      September 25, 2013 / 7:32 PM

      thank you darling, looking forward to seeing you soon x

  1. September 22, 2013 / 9:02 AM

    What a lovely friend, and how amazing everyone managed to keep it secret.

    Happy birthday, you don’t look anything near 40. xx

    • Grenglish
      Author
      September 25, 2013 / 7:32 PM

      oh you are too kind… although in my mind, I am still 27 x

  2. Lindsay Owen
    September 23, 2013 / 4:41 PM

    Ah! You made me cry reading this! So lovely and it was SO lovely to be there with you to celebrate. Love you lady – Lins x

    • Grenglish
      Author
      September 25, 2013 / 7:31 PM

      Thank you so much for coming, really made my birthday x

  3. Helloitsgemma
    September 23, 2013 / 5:53 PM

    Wow! That’s is properly lovely, *sheds a small tear*. Being 40 is special it is so worth making the most of the celebrations! So pleased you had a wonderful time!

    • Grenglish
      Author
      September 25, 2013 / 7:31 PM

      thank you, am so pleased I did something big. Next time will be for my 50th *shudders* x

  4. September 24, 2013 / 11:31 AM

    I actually just cried reading that! That’s so lovely. Happy birthday! I’m glad you got to celebrate in style. x

    • Grenglish
      Author
      September 25, 2013 / 7:30 PM

      thank you lovely x

  5. September 28, 2013 / 6:55 PM

    That is fan-bloody-tastic! What amazing people you have in your life to do such lovely things for you, that post just made me smile so much 🙂 x

  6. October 5, 2013 / 10:05 PM

    What a lovely happy story! Glad you had a great time and hope this new era continues as well as it started for you!
    Sending birthday hugs x

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