I've finally gotten where I can actually enjoy a birthday. For many years I would get into such a funk. It wasn't so much the growing older part, I think it was more that here's this one day out of the year with the expectation that it was suppose to be a "special" day, but more often than not it was just like any other day filled with the normal day to day things that have to be done and it would be over and gone.
Matt's solution to the birthday blues was not to celebrate a given day, but to have a birthday season. We begin with Hannah's birthday in June, move on to Matt's in July, then to mine in August and finish off with Elizabeth in September. We spend the whole summer celebrating in some form or fashion.
My actual birthday was fantastic. Matt worked a good part of the day and I had some Relief Society business to take care of, but at about 3:30pm or so we were able to head up the rode to Gettysburg which is only about 15 miles a way. I had four Groupon tickets for the Civil War Wax Museum which was rather cheesy, but it came with a voucher for the gift shop that was worth more than what I paid for the admission. We made our way through the museum, I even learned a thing or two. In the gift shop I was able to find a Willow Tree statue of a woman holding an American flag. It was perfect. It was a reminder of our day in Gettysburg and also represented the Olympic spirit of Team USA. I am such an Olympic junkie.
(FYI - I start counting down to the opening ceremonies of the next Olympics the moment the torch is extinguished at the closing ceremonies. This year I was tried and tested. Thank goodness for On Demand. The evening of the opening exercises I got a call from a sister in the ward. Her son had slipped on the slide in their backyard and broken his arm. Her husband was out of town on business. Matt was their home teacher so we left the resteraunt where we were having dinner, Matt went to the hospital to give a blessing and offer support, and I headed to their home to stay with the other six children. No worries, or so I thought. I'd never been to their home before and I soon discovered that they didn't have TV and there was no cell reception for my phone. Instead of watching the opening ceremony of the Olympics I played UNO with kids who were up way past their bedtime, and they kept changing the rules on me. Oh well, the Opening Ceremonies are way to long anyway.)
After the Wax Museum we had dinner at The Dobbin House. It was wonderful. We wouldn't have changed a thing. The home is the oldest in Gettysburg and was built in 1776. I has been renovated so the house has lots of dining rooms, each with different decor. We had dinner upstairs in the spinning room. We walked through the bedroom which was shared by 16 children to get to our room. The bedroom had several tables that were four poster, canopy beds. It was really neat.
Someone had suggested that we eat in the Cellar which has more of an old tavern fell. I'm glad we opted for the classier upstairs. The ambience was great.
The food was a bit pricey, but well within the budget for a nice occasion. Everything was delicious.
After dinner we took a walk from where we were to the downtown square and back. I love the architecture and the feel of history. Just to think we walked where Lincoln walked.
Lincoln slept here!
My birthday Willow Tree.
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