Guest Post: 39th Birthday Surprises

There are several BIG birthdays that require extra planning and big ideas.
Some of these are...
Turning 1
Turning 10
Sweet 16
18
21
30 (I'm much too close to this one!)
40
50
(and every decade after that)

Sometimes celebrating the 'not so big' birthdays can be just as fun. Who says you need to throw a big party? Or have an extravagant trip planned?
A little thought, planning and love behind simple birthday gifts can mean more than you would think!

My Aunt Ruth recently celebrated my Uncle Mike's 39th birthday in a fun, meaningful way.
Here are the birthday surprises she planned with the help of her daughter, Carrington and son, Tres (and don't let all the number talk scare you, she teaches math!) ....

So it’s your birthday and I love you more than anything, but you are really hard to buy for. Between your mom and I, you got everything you wanted for Christmas and that was only two weeks ago. Giving you a card with money is easy, but it’s weird. I know I would withdrawal cash and give it you only to have you deposit it again.  It is equivalent to “Happy Birthday babe, I paid the water bill for your birthday.”

The previous thoughts are actual thoughts I had about two weeks ago because my husband was turning 39. I kept churning ideas, talking to friends, and searching Pinterest. Finally, I got a revelation.  I started to think about the number 39. It was 2013. My husband’s birthday was the 13^th of January and 39 is equal to three thirteens!  I quickly talked to my kids and got them on board too. Carrington was as excited as I was and Tres, well, he is always a good sport.

I  had read on Pinterest about a wife that gave her husband a present every hour on his birthday. That was now my plan: one present for each hour to be opened at 13 minutes past the hour for 13 hours.  He awoke Sunday morning to this on the dresser.....

I reached over and handed him this card to let him know the plan:

He was blessed and he knew it.  His 13 presents included a new toy for him to use to play with the dogs, a pair of jeans, some gift baskets from the clearance rack at SAMs, some running clothes, and homemade (by me) stuffits for his running shoes. He also got a gift certificate for a couples massage at a local spa.

My favorite presents to give were ones that the kids and I had made.  Each of them  found a scripture that used a three and a thirteen. We took a picture and reworded the scripture in Mike translation. He had used the words in italics within the last month when giving them some advice they needed.  

 I also made this with some pictures of us that Tres had taken this summer.

 The other pretty cool gift he got was from his mom.  She gave him the Jackson Five.

There is definitely some truth in the saying… “tis better to give than to receive”. 

I think I had as much or more fun on his birthday than he did.