Celebrating birthdays has always been a special thing in our family, and it goes straight back to my childhood.  Growing up, my parents marked our birthdays by putting together memorable, sweet and simple birthday parties with friends. My mother would bake a cake, sometimes wrapping pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters in wax paper and baking them inside for us to uncover like little treasures. I remember those cakes to this day, and how they made me feel so special and loved. My siblings and I now carry these traditions into our own families, even though times have changed so much since we were kids. 

Whenever one of my kids has a birthday, I think of my mother and how she made us feel. I want to replicate that in my own family, and give my children the same sense of how loved and cherished they are as I had when I was growing up. It was easier to do that when they were little, but with grown-up kids who are out of the house and deep into their own lives, these days, I find myself connecting with them mainly through FaceTime calls, photos, text messages and social media. I feel a little wistful and nostalgic sometimes for the old days when they would be woken up on their birthdays with a kiss and a song and celebrated with a special dinner and cake. Life was busy and hectic back then, and part of me looked forward to when they were grown up and things could slow down. 

Ironically, things are just as busy and hectic now as they’ve always been, but in a very different way. Managing five kids with five separate schedules alongside my own schoolwork and writing feels like the final act in a 20-year circus that’s been building up to prepare me for this season. At the same time, I’m navigating new territories with my children, realizing the importance of connecting with them in ways that feel comfortable and natural, even if they differ from what I would want to do. That goes for birthdays, too! 

Today I’m thinking of my second-born son, Jack, who just turned twenty-two this week and is away at school, forging his own path and taking care of his responsibilities. When he was born, I sent out announcements (on paper and in the mail, imagine that!) to our friends and family, sharing the excitement of new life with them. I did the same with all my children and included a Bible verse for each one. Jack’s was James 1:17: 

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 

Since then, I’ve had the immense privilege of watching him grow into the fun-loving, responsible and honourable man he is today. I’m so proud of him and how he navigates his path forward, and it’s hard to capture that feeling in words. So I’ll let his age speak for me:
T  – tender 

W – wise 

E  – encouraging 

N – near 

T -  tough 

Y – yes 

T – open 

W – winsome 

O– on his way to graduation soon! 

How do you celebrate birthdays in your family? 

 

Enjoy these songs today!