The Unthinkable

So, it's taken me awhile to post this one, because...it's confession time...we have done the unthinkable (but TRUST ME, we will NEVER do it again!)...we [gulp]...kinda [cold sweat]...sorta [giant throat lump]...maybe [dropping crocodile tears now]...forgot AUNTIE'S BIRTHDAY!! UGH!!!!!

Yes...I know...we are equally horrified here.

And yes, I learned earlier this week that NOBODY forgets birthdays anymore, because apparently Facebook sends reminders to all of your "friends" on your birthday, letting them know it's your birthday, so you can paste (is that even the right word) birthday messages on their boards...or is it wall? So, we are therefore now embarrassed and outed...NO, we have not joined the Facebook Nation!...yet...because now I imagine we'll have to, if for no other reason than to receive the handy birthday reminders!

However...as it's said in certain parts of the country...in certain neighborhoods (of which I, yes, have been acquainted ;o)...LET THA RECKA SHO we have NEVER (and I DO mean NEVER) forgotten Auntie's birthday before...ever...really!

I just don't know what happened! Yes, it was a very busy week. And yes I had a meeting and other running-around-stuff going on that day that I don't normally do. And yes, Craig did explode the platter of fresh-from-the-hot-oven-but-placed-on-a-cold-tile-counter fish all over the kitchen and the other uncovered dishes he had prepared for dinner that day (including a very-unusual-for-us platter of freshly fried chicken). But really, now, it is just shameful! Two weeks prior I was even discussing with my mother-in-law the fact that Joanne's birthday was on the horizon. And then I must have blanked out until this previous Wednesday (four days after her birthday, mind you), when I had this moment of cold panic (in the bathroom of course), and called Craig moaning "WHEN was the 20th??" "Did we see Joanne that day?" And poor oblivious Craig says, "that was Sunday" and "sure, she was here, for a while" rather calmly until I dropped the gut-wrenching "Craig, we missed her birthday! Sunday was her birthday!" [Stunned silence.]

Yes, so now we are doubly horrified, as I'm sure you are too, because not only did we forget her birthday, like distantly on the telephone, but we forgot her birthday sitting around...chatting with her...in person.

Fortunately, Joanne, our children's dearly beloved Auntie and our dearly beloved sister, forgave us (and can you believe never even mentioned it) and still came with Adrian (her beaux) to visit us this past weekend...

...(and with a big trunkful of the children's favorite items from Costco...how's that for unconditional love), where we had a beautiful pink strawberry cake with fresh strawberries (she likes frutti-patutti stuff) waiting...

...with a certain number of candles on it  ;o)  and a gift she'll enjoy, and Josiah (her dearly beloved Godson) had made her some chocolate-covered strawberries...and we had a nice, noisy dinner...

...and sang a nice, soulful Stevie Wonder version "Happy Birthday" song...

...and shared the love...

...and talked and laughed, and promised her and ourselves (in the words of Tiana from Princess and The Frog) to NEVER, never, never, ever, evah, NEVAH forget...her birthday...again.  [Facebook, here we come!]

We love you Auntie Jo-Jo!

Take Care. Much Love.