Special Birthdays

Although one tries to say a birthday is just another day, I think we would all agree, there is something special about commemorating our "birth" day.  There is just something inside that says, "So and so many years ago, I came into this world," and perhaps as we grow older and look back, we think of birthdays past and think about where we were or what we were doing on our birthday.  So, this year, I did a nostalgic look back.

Wow!  As a one-year-old, I already was crying about having to watch my calories! 

Because my sister Joyce and I had birthdays only four days apart, my mother combined our special days into one big birthday party.  We both loved it!  The more friends there, the better!

By far, the best gift I ever received was the birth of our youngest son, Craig.  Although he was born two days before my birthday, I was still in the hospital and kept admiring how darling he was and how grateful I was to have such a special gift for my birthday. 

Here is Craig as a two-month-old.  He was such a good little guy, but mainly I wanted you to see that I did lose my "baby" fat at that time.

Another very memorable birthday, was when my kids and husband planned and paid for a dinner river cruise.  The River just happened to be the Seine in Paris, France.  With John and Alison living there, and Doug and Joyce (my sister and brother-in-law), plus a friend, Sandy, all going, too, it was an ideal way to spend a birthday!

Me with my sister, Joyce.

Yes, the City of Lights didn't disappoint for a great birthday!

Birthday parties are always fun, but definitely not necessary to have a good time. However, this year my sister Beverly in Idaho offered to give me a birthday party in a card since she loves to give parties, but we are too far away from each to actually be where she could give the party. Thanks, Beverly! What a sweet gesture!

Since this year was sort of a special birthday year (I'm definitely not revealing the exact amount, however), my sweet husband planned a week full of activities to celebrate.  I had such a great time, I almost forgot how old I was becoming!

My birthday week began with George taking all four of us women to see the Brigham Young University Young Ambassadors at the Florida Theater.  We had a great time!  These are two great women who work in the Adult Education program with me:  Dawn Guthrie and her daughter Hannah, along with Carmela Middleton.

The show was really entertaining, and we all had such a great time!

Then on Thursday, all of the people at my work gave me a little birthday party after work.

The cake was divine!

On another evening (I'm getting all the days of the week mixed up), George took me to a dinner show at Alhambra.  The production was "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers."  It really was one of their best performances I've seen there!

By this time, it was almost my real birthday.  George had asked me where I wanted to go for my birthday weekend.  I told him I wanted to go to Orlando.  First stop was our Mormon Temple for an evening doing church work  It was so special!

We then stayed for the next two nights in an Orlando Resort.  We didn't spend much time there, but it was very convenient to come back to at the end of the day.

On Saturday, we were off for Epcot.  I wanted to repeat exactly what I had done there with my sisters and Dad about a month ago.  We had such a good time, so I wanted George to have the same experience. 

I kept him running the whole day!

There weren't as many flower creations as there were in April--I think it has become too hot for many of them.  But it was still beautiful!

 

We always have "bear" jokes in the Copeland family which make us all smile.  Craig and Kent were the bear cubs in the family, and that always provided for lots of fun!

I couldn't wait to take George to the Chinese Pavilion which is a miniature version of the Temple of Heaven which we saw in Beijing.

Visiting the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an was one of my favorite experiences ever.  The real warriors are over six feet tall, and seeing the 6,000 they have uncovered is just breath-taking when you're there.  No two are alike!  But they have done a really wonderful job in Epcot in recreating the experience on a miniature scale.

This was so interesting of how they first uncovered the warriors.  They would actually make a grid and draw exactly what they took out of each area.  Everything had to be documented.  So many were broken, but piece by piece, they were put back together.

This is like the terracotta soldier that John and Alison actually bought in Xi'an and have in their home. 

(Here is a picture on Easter at the Wilde home.  Do you see the terracotta soldier in their living room?)

When George saw the showcase of the two-hump camel, he started telling about his experience at the Great Wall of China where he got on one.  He soon had a whole group who was listening to his story.  Although he did a great job relating it, you had to be there in person in China to have the full effect.  None of us will ever forget it, nor will be ever stop laughing about it!

Of course, George had to get his ice cream after our Chinese lunch.

And then he enjoyed some caramel popcorn from the Wuerther's factory--the best!

Italy--we want to go back to the real Italy!  So beautiful!

I think the food kept George going for the whole day! 

Outside the American Pavilion, a Fife and Drum Corp came along.  We enjoyed it so much.  They played all the patriotic songs throughout the American history. 

Then the leader had us all join in on "God Bless America."  It just made you so proud to be an American!

The Canadian Pavilion has a miniature Buchhart Gardens.  Absolutely beautiful!  Not nearly as large as the real one again, but every bit as beautiful!

I had to take a picture of the kind of phone that George knows how to use--he still is cell phone illiterate.  Hah! 

This reminded me of looking over the Seine River. 

Epcot is just wonderful in bringing back memories of places throughout the world that are so beautiful.

This is the "Spitting Gargoyle" in the French Pavilion.  It is a reproduction of the one on the Notre Dame in Paris.  There are hundreds on top of the Notre Dame, but to see them up close and personal, you have to climb a few hundred steps to see them.  I remember the day Craig and I did just that!  It was really a sight to see!

That evening, George and I ate at the German Restaurant at Epcot--the same place I had eaten with my sisters and Dad in April.  I wanted George to experience the wonderful atmosphere, music, and food.  It didn't disappoint--George loved it!

Although George may have had ideas of going home before the park closed, I quickly changed his mind.  No way!  We had to stay for the fantastic fireworks which are like none other!  He definitely was glad we stayed!

We got up the next morning at 6:00 a.m. to drive back to Jacksonville because it was our Ward Conference, and we had choir practice at 10:00 a.m. because the choir was singing and I was playing.  The choir sang two numbers which were absolutely some of the best we've ever done--with a lot of help from above, I have to say! 

After the three-hour block of meetings, everyone met in the cultural hall for the ward dinner.  After the blessing on the food, George stood up and told everyone it was my real birthday today.  Then everyone sang "Happy Birthday."  How sweet!

Whereupon, Jeff came rolling in the biggest cake I've ever seen!

What a wonderful surprise birthday George, along with Amy, had planned for me!

Can you tell how much the kids loved the red punch and cake???

After going home, I heard from my kids, their spouses, and many of the grandkids.  I, also, talked to my dad, and many of my siblings.  Seriously, don't you think this was one of the best birthday weeks ever!  Thank you to everyone who made it so special--especially to my sweet husband who truly made a birthday I will never forget!