25 August 2011

They say it's your birthday

As it turns out, deployed birthdays are quite special. I woke up to this text from Julia, sent at 4:30am yesterday morning to make sure she was the very first to send a greeting, which indeed she was:

"Happy birthday to you my sweet friend. I wish this year will be best for you. Wish you all the best. Love you."

Birthdays away from home (and reality) are a great reminder of what, but more accurately who, is really important. Rob and I have a birthday (and Christmas, and anniversary) truce. No presents, just a card and a great adventure where we can create more memories together. It's perfect.

My team here is onto my adventurous spirit, so they planned a trip for my birthday which included spending time at an Afghan kindergarten at the Ministry of Defense, having coffee at the British Cantina, and eating lunch at our favorite dining facility in Kabul. When I opened the truck before our adventure, piles of pink and purple balloons came tumbling out at my feet. Foiled again! Most of the truck is classified, so I can only show you the remaining balloons on the floorboard, but it was just about as sweet as things can be here in Afghanistan.

I spent the day with the people here who make me the happiest, and hearing from friends from all over the world wishing me happy birthday and thanking me for my service, which was touching. If there is only one day to have a Facebook account, it's on a birthday. I'm sure of my favorite people in the world won't mind if I share some of their birthday wishes, not attributed, of course:

"I hope you've had a fabulous birthday and that you remembered to make a bona fide birthday wish...you're never to old to do that!! I'm sure this year is a celebration you won't soon forget!!"

"Happy birthday Lisa! I suppose this will be a very unique birthday for you :) Thanks for your dedication and sacrifice and I hope someone finds you a cake over there!""

"Thank you so much for what you are doing for us and our country, you are a true hero!"

"It's my 6th grade best friend's birthday today. Did I mention she's a badass and serves our country so that I can freely and securely write stupid FB status messages whenever I want, which is obviously the only reason she serves? Love you, Lisa!"

"You. Are. My. Hero."

I'm not a hero. Not by any stretch. But I am here, and happy, and very thankful for the incredible people in my life who helped make yesterday my favorite birthday of all time.

2 comments:

  1. Happy belated birthday! I'm following you daily or whenever you post a story. Your adventures are amazing and you express them so well I can almost visualize them as if I'm there myself. Keep doing what you do! Take care and keep your head on a swivel :-)
    Judy

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  2. So Owl wrote . . . and this is what he wrote:
    HIPY PAPY BTHUTHDTH THUTHDA BTHUTHDY.

    Pooh looked on admiringly.

    "I'm just saying 'A Happy Birthday'," said Owl carelessly.

    "It's a nice long one," said Pooh, very much impressed by it.


    "Well, actually, of course, I'm saying 'A Very Happy Birthday with love from Pooh.' Naturally it takes a good deal of pencil to say a long thing like that."

    "Oh, I see," said Pooh.

    ~Winnie the Pooh, Chapter 6
    **hugs**

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