Cari-bein'

Pin the Tail

Elmo was at a birthday party we attended a couple of months ago. The 1-year-old in question is obsessed with all things Elmo. His parents had provided two (homemade) cakes. We ate the other one. I'm not sure what they planned to do with Elmo, but he never made it out of the box. My mother arrives today. After work. I'll be off for the next nine days, so it feels like I'm going on vacation, too. My mother and I have had our share of rough times. We've only seen each other a few times in the last decade. As I prepare for her arrival, I'm praying for the willingness to focus only on the good times. As much as I'd like to think I've let go of most of my resentments toward her, I know that spending a chunk of compressed time with any family member can bring out one's worst behavior regardless of intentions. So this morning I'm focusing on the good things and birthday parties came to mind. My mother always made sure I had great birthday parties. I have fond memories of roomfuls of little girls in their party dresses playing pin the tail on the donkey and gathering around in a giggling huddle to excitedly watch me open my presents and leaning in over our kitchen table as I blew out the candles on the cake my mother had decorated herself. I keep those memories tucked away in a safe place because I knew that one day each year I would be made to feel special. My father was never at my parties. He must have always been on the golf course. It seemed as if my parents declared a ceasefire on birthday days...and I could pretend for a few hours that everything was okay. 

posted by Marilyn @ 6:07 AM