Cheers to 21: Having a Pandemic Birthday!

  Hey guys! First off I wanted to say thank you so much for all of the Birthday sentiments! I can honestly say yesterday was one of the best birthdays I have had in a while! That might sound strange considering I could not go out and do literally anything for my Twenty-First BIRTHDAY (OFF ALL BIRTHDAYS THIS PANDEMIC HAPPENS ON ONE OF THE MILESTONE BDAYS) but this year was special because I realized just how precious time is with your family, this year I was grounded from the BIRTHDAY HIGH and tried to stay humble.

  If you know me, than you know that I LOVE my BIRTHDAY! I consider it my day and I can be as selfish as I want to be, but in actuality I am glad that I did not go into this years Birthday with that attitude. Instead I focused on the fact that I am alive and I get the privilege to turn 21! I woke up, got all PRETTY (BECAUSE THAT IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE) and went to work. I was completely surprised when I walked in the front door! I had a cake, a happy birthday sign, a card, and of course SOUR SKITTLES! I knew that my co-workers always celebrate each others birthday’s, but I did not think anything about it and I had never celebrated it at work before, therefore I was not expecting it. My wonderful team made me feel so special! There was even a sign (THAT I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT) on the window asking customers to honk their car horn to honor my special day. Half that morning I was so confused as to why people were honking, until I found the paper! All of that and I was still given another “very special alcoholic” gift! I have no words for these wonderful people, I can’t thank them enough.

  I got off early and I went home to find a MINNIE MOUSE cake, flowers and a beautifully written card from my honey! We had some much awaited VERACRUZ for lunch and then we went to the store. The ONE thing that I could do on my quarantine birthday… was go to a LIQUOR store and buy my first ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE! So I get in there and I find something that I think I would like, get up to the register just to have a stranger pay for my bottle of wine because neither my credit nor debit card was compatible with their machine! I was about to tell the lady never mind and walk out with my head down, when this man next to me asks if it was my birthday (BECAUSE I STILL HAD MY SASH ON) I told him yes and he payed for my drink! I was extremely embarrassed, but I am so grateful to know that there are still people like that in this world. Especially given the situation that we are in.

  We get back home and I finally convince Brandon to do the one thing that I have been wanting to do since my last birthday! DANCE! (I WANTED TO GO DANCING LAST YEAR, BUT WE NEVER DID) So we put on the song we have chosen for our first dance at our wedding and slow danced in the middle of our living room! MIND YOU, BRANDON AND I HAVE NEVER DANCED TOGETHER BEFORE! I repeat we have never danced together before and we have been together for almost 3 years! That may seem weird, but the opportunity never presented itself. It was definitely a little awkward at first because neither one of us really know how to dance, but it was a very fun and romantic experience. We laughed and stepped on each others toes and kissed and just held each other close. I loved just being able to try something new and be close to the man I love. It is for sure going to be a time that I will never forget!

  For dinner my close family came over (I KNOW IKNOW WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO, BUT IT WAS ONLY 6 PEOPLE) We had some chicken wings, socialized and my Mother-In-Law made me a home made STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI! This was the one thing that I wanted for my 21st birthday and because of my wonderful family, I GOT IT! Even though I did not get my huge party or get my girls trip to Savannah I am so blessed to be able to have family.

  The point of all this is that even though this is not remotely how I pictured my 21st birthday, it turned out even better because I stopped trying to make the day special and all about me and as Brandon would like to call it, I should just  “GO WITH THE FLOW” ( EVEN THOUGH EARLIER THAT DAY HE STATED THAT I DON‘T HAVE GOOD LUCK WITH BIRTHDAYS, AT LEAST NOT THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS) and that is exactly what I did.

  So I encourage you, if you are having to spend your birthday in quarantine or even as an essential worker, just be grateful that you are alive and that you have a job that you can go to! Yes, enjoy your day because you should feel special! Just don't let it go to your head, I can attest to letting that happen in more than one of my birthdays. That is why I can truly say that this APRIL 8th was one of the best days ever!