the gift of giving

today we celebrated my mom's birthday.

normally, she is not a huge fan of talking about her age.
but today she uttered the new number with a sense of pride.

i'm not telling.
i'll let her tell you that.

i think she has gotten to the point in her life where age doesn't really matter. she is just thankful for each day with which she is blessed.

and the fact that she has already lived 4 years past the age her mother lived to be...

well, i can't even imagine what that must feel like.

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i have probably mentioned this before.
i'm not the most fantastic gift giver.

i'm pretty practical.
and not terribly thoughtful.
and i never buy cards.

don't get me wrong...
cards are sweet.

but they cost $5 these days (i'm making that up - cause, remember, i don't buy cards) and i just assume the kids draw a picture & write sweet sentiments. and in the perfect world, i would write a sweet letter.

but, really.
who am i kidding.

not thoughtful.
bad gift giver.
procrastinator.
and showing up 2 hours late to the party anyways.
(that is not an exaggeration. please don't read that comment with an undertone of pride. because my tardy tendency is something i am not proud of at all.)

so, no.
i didn't write a sweet letter.

but you know what.
the kids.
they totally make up for my shortcomings.

gift giving is totally their thing.

they were so excited about giving bebe gifts for her birthday that they had them picked out & wrapped up thursday.

and what, you may ask, do the lindler kids give as gifts?

(i wish i had pictures. just so you could see their awesome wrapping job & self made cards.)

• orie: heart shaped sunglasses & mardi gras beads. they were both green. he wanted to make sure bebe had matching accessories.
• bradley: 365 devotional book for girls (let it be noted... this is a book that was gifted to lou that she then gifted to bradley that bradley then gifted to bebe. lots of gifting in the family.)
• lou: a tin of dominoes

and you know what.
my mom loved every single gift they gave her.

she put on her glasses & beads & turned around in circles while clapping her hands. she smiled & let out a huge excited thank you when she received bradley's devotional, saying that now she had a book to read to the girls at bedtime. and she told lou that she was going to truly enjoy playing with the dominoes. she even picked through them as lou explained to her which fairy & care bear was on each one.

you know what.
my kids truly have the gift of giving.

and my mom.
she has the true gift of receiving.

it takes someone special to make a kid feel as though their offering is the most special gift that could have ever been received.

thanks, mom, for being you.
i'm so thankful for the 32 years i've had with you.

happy birthday!!