This past Thursday I celebrated 29 wonderful, blessed years of my life. Sam, Mac, and I were in MS packing and loading a trailer to send back to Branson. And when we arrived, I could not have been more excited to see what was blooming in my yard...day lilies, or "my birthday flower" as I've called it my entire life. Years of memories flooded my mind as I walked up to the delicate bloom.
You see, my great-grandfather, Papa Cha-Cha, brought some of his day lilies to plant at our house when I was a young child. And every year, they bloomed the week of my birthday. Never early, never late. Even if other people's lilies were blooming, ours always waited. So, since I absolutely loved my birthday week growing up (and insisted on celebrating all week), I would pester my mom if it was almost my birthday. She always advised me to go and see if the day lilies were getting ready to bloom.
Those flowers have been transplanted over and over to many places along the journey of our lives. My mom took some to Texas, I've had them in Magee, Pearl and Monticello, and my grandmother has them at her house on the coast. And they've never let me down, including this year!
Wow, just the sight of them brings such joy to my soul as I think back on all the wonderful years I've had the privilege to celebrate a birthday. And I'm also always reminded of what an amazing family I have. They, like the lily, never let me down and are always there for me!
I guess next year we'll see how the day lilies like Missouri weather!
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