small things

36

On my sixth birthday, my mom was in the hospital having my sister Angie.  That was the first time I got a baby sister for my birthday.  On my tenth birthday, my stepmom was in the hospital having my sister Erin.  Another baby sister for my birthday!  Yesterday we all celebrated our birthdays in separate states.  We are 36, 26, and 30 now.  I hope that someday I can celebrate with both of them.  It will happen.  I will make it happen, it just may be a few years.

20131230-DSC_3840I will confess that the first things that spring to mind when I am asked what I want for my birthday are:  a clean house and time to knit.  I need to get more creative and more realistic!

20131230-DSC_3894My children made me homemade cards, as I always request those too.  Beatrix instructed Jonny to write the words she dictated:  “Birthday Card.”  Funny.  The girls convinced a friend of ours to take them shopping for me the day before my birthday after a trip to the movie theater.  They chose flowers and chocolate.  Every year they buy me chocolate in hopes that I will share.  I know their tricks.

20131230-DSC_3874My birthday gift from Jonny, per my request, was Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitting Workshop.  I put it in my computer to watch a bit late in the afternoon while I was nursing Job.  Jonny doesn’t understand why I am so excited to watch this.  I tried to explain who Elizabeth Zimmerman is, how I just want to sit and listen to her talk while I knit and drink hot tea.  He watched for a few minutes.  No, he doesn’t quite get it.  I know that some of you do though.

Just as I finally got Job settled in his bed, hoping for him to sleep for awhile so I could do some knitting, Jonny passed me a note.  The note said that a babysitter would be arriving in half an hour and that we were going out for dinner.  I can’t really explain this part of myself, but my immediate reaction was to feel panicked and have to fight tears.  Jonny knows me, can’t explain me either, but expected this reaction.  He also knew that I would be very happy once I got over the hump of adjusting to the surprise plans.  He ordered pizza for the kids and I thought to myself that I was sure glad that earlier in the day I had put on mascara and curled my hair just because it was my birthday.  I put on my new socks, special socks knit by dear Elizabeth, my favorite shoes, and stuffed diapers in my purse along with my knitting (just in case!) and we were ready to go.  It was a great night, dinner with Jonny and some of my best friends.  Maybe now that I am thirty six, I will grow out of my issues with sudden changes of plans and that sort of thing.  I warned Jonny in the car though, “I’m probably just going to get worse with age.”  Just so he’s prepared.

I had a great birthday.  Thank you!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dear Ginny, Happy happy birthday to you! I have been thinking of you (can never remember of your birthday is the 26th or 30th..)
    I love your socks! And shoes!
    And, 41, still not comfortable with sudden change or sudden plans. Kind of getting worse but also kind of staying the same since I have been putting a bit if effort into being more relaxed, kind of…
    Hope your year ahead is full of lots of wonderfulness! (I’m sure it will be!)
    Love you! Renee <3

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    • p.s. I think our library has that EZ set, but I don’t know how I would ever find time to watch it (at least not with a library due date) but of course I totally get it. I have read occasional EZ quotes to Jason, he appreciated them, but I don’t think he feels the need to watch the video…

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  7. Happy Birthday! I wish you all the best- including lots of time for knitting and an always clean house 🙂
    Love your blog and I will keep reading also in 2014.

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  10. Happy Birthday, dear Small Things. Great socks! It’s good to hear that other mama’s have trouble with transitions but I’m sorry to hear that you were feeling discomfort. It’s weird, I think – I read so much about and practice so hard at easing transitions and changes for my small folks but it’s me who has the hardest time with it!

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  11. Happiest of birthdays to you, Ginny! And a happy year too. I am the same way about plans. I am much better once I have gotten to the destination, but think of a multitude of excuses to avoid going. So glad Jonny knows you too and was prepared!

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  13. I think we share a birthday. Mine is the 30th. You inspire me to Mother the way my heart wants me to.
    Happy Birthday
    Emx

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  14. Just want to thank you for your blog, I have been reading for a while but have never commented. I greatly admire your willingness to share your thoughts and life so honestly. I’m not sure how you do it but you are clearly very courageous – probably more than you give yourself credit for, I imagine. Many blessings for your birthday and always!

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  18. I agree with you, Elizabeth Zimmerman is a delight to both read and hear. Enjoy your DVD, tea and knitting. Happy New Year Foreman Family!

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  19. Happy Birthday, Ginny! I will be 36 in a few weeks. 🙂
    I am the same way, a feeling of panic wells up in me at sudden changes of plans, even good ones!
    Have a great year, Melanie

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  20. I know I commented yesterday but it is fun to hear about someone born on the exact same day, as I turned 36 yesterday too. And I probably would have had the same reaction about a surprise change of plans, but been good with it once I’d had a minute to adjust. Glad it was such a nice day and evening for you. And Happy New Year this evening!

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  21. Moms of many kids have great difficulty doing things last minute. We are so used to planning things as simple as a trip to the grocery. I would not have liked being sprung with that, even though it was such a sweet idea from your husband. It sounds like something my husband would do and then he would be perplexed as to why I wasn’t jumping up and down with excitement.

    I’m glad you had fun. Happy Birthday!

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  22. I think your reaction is perfectly normal actually. We’re moms, we are the ones used to planning and coordinating everything. I think the surprise was really sweet and I hope you were able to take a deep breath and enjoy it. After 19 years of marriage I always commend my husband for knowing my quirks and faults and loving me in spite of them. Happy New Year to you and your family ;o)

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  27. Birthday blessings! We share the same birthday, though I am a few years older:) How wonderful that you also share the day with your sisters. I also have difficulty with changes of plans…part of being an INFJ, I suppose. I am actually more relaxed with age and learning to accept my personality more all the time.

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  28. happy birthday to you Ginny !
    and thank you for another year of reading your stories, inspiring, and so honest. so realistic….

    for the first time this Advent we made the crib and the kids could cut a straw (wool) when they did something really good.
    your idea.
    the first time I read your blog, you were telling about that. it’s two years ago, I think, and since then I read you every day.
    thank you very much !

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  30. Happy Birthday! I would have had the same reaction! Last minute changes (even for a nice surprise) can send me in a state of panic as well. Glad to hear that I’m not the only one. I’m also glad that you had a nice evening in the end. Happy New Year!

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  31. Happy Birthday! I am love the you got EZ’s video. I dropped hints all Christmas that I would love a copy of her series, but Santa didn’t get the note. I’ve been waiting for it to turn up at the library. I can’t imagine anything better then time to knit and watch Elizabeth Zimmermann 🙂

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  32. Happy birthday, Ginny!!!

    It sounds like a lovely day, though I am with you on sudden plan changes…I get momentarily overwhelmed. Not exactly sure why, because once I’m on the new track, I’m golden. I’ve been that way my whole life and it has caused grief to those around me, I’m sure. It sounds like we are both lucky to have men who roll with it.

    I wish you a wonderful year ahead with lots of love and light and happiness sent your way. And knitting, of course.

    xo Jules

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  34. Hi Ginny!

    It can be hard to kick the coffee habit. If you miss the flavor and warm mug to wrap your hands around, try DandyBlend. It tastes amazingly like coffee AND has dandelion root in it. Other ingredients are extracts from roasted barley and rye, chicory root and sugar beetroot. It may not compare to a gourmet cup of coffee, but I find it extremely satisfying. No caffeine. Whatever helps, may you be successful! 🙂

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  36. You’ve got my attention! I’m just learning to knit, fueled by the posts of yours I would see (when I was still regularly reading blogs) and the desire to make things. 🙂 I’m going to have to learn to knit in a round. That’ll be my next challenge.

    Happy birthday! It’s so neat that you share it with your sisters. I hope you have a wonderful day!

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  37. Oh my goodness, Ginny! That would be my reaction to a sudden change of plans too! But my anxiety disorder has left me as a bit of a homebody so I have to push myself to go out most of the time anyway. I pray that you had a WONDERFUL birthday!

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  40. Happy birthday! I’m sure if many of us blog readers lived closer we would all come over and clean house so you could sit and knit.
    Love Leanne in New Zealand (a tad way too far to come over and clean house sorry)

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  44. Happy belated birthday! What a great surprise. I find the older I get the easier surprises are to handle. Maybe it has to do with expectations! That video! It is at our library but only on VHS and I had just convinced my husband to get rid of our machine, gah! Enjoy!!

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  45. A belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you, dear Ginny. So many of the women in my family, living and now gone, could relate to your reaction to “surprises,” both welcome and not so welcome. We have many funny stories in our family about just this sort of thing. May 2014 be a good year for you and your family.

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  47. Happy, Happy Day, Ginny! A clean house and time to knit make all the sense in the world to me! I really do understand about your response to surprises…I love to plan them, but have to adjust when they are sprung on me! I hope you are blessed with a beautiful and joyous year! 🙂

    Reply

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