Operation Golden Birthday - Xela

Guess what? I'm less than two weeks behind in my family blog! WOW! Now, on to more important items....

I was a little more excited about this Golden Birthday thing than I think Xela was. What wasn't to be excited about? Come on now, how often to you, for example, turn 16 on the 16th of  2016?!? I mean really, how many people get to turn their age, on the same number as the date AND calendar year? Kids born in the year 2000 will have a once in a life time chance, but how many on such a cool birthday as 16? Yes, I thought it was totally cool and therefore, of course, it needed a little something extra!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
TO YOU - XelaRu!
Pudding in a Pyrex

I wanted to make the birthday celebrations a little more fun than usual, especially because Xela is a pretty low key kind of person and "whatever" works for her. Her birthday fell on a school day so, after asking for suggestions from a co-worker, I decided to give her 16 small gifts during school. It worked out well as Aurora had been asking various friends and teachers to say happy birthday or do other small things for her. I bought gifts and she coordinated finding the friends to give her the gifts. We spent part of Tuesday night wrapping the gifts (without tape - used stickers & glue), which I had been hiding in my closet and in my car.

Xela spent Monday and Tuesday not feeling well, which started to worry Ro and myself. If she didn't feel well enough to go to school on Wednesday, how would we pull off Operation Golden Birthday? Thankfully, Xela felt well enough to go to school (although she skipped Seminary) Wednesday morning. Our plan was finally in motion!

Ro went to Seminary and I picked her up at Little Flower when I took the Graigry, Nate and Neta for the breakfast. I had put the gifts in the trunk of my car Tuesday night after the kids were in bed. I had purchased a dozen roses Tuesday afternoon, had put them in a vase and in my closet before Xela saw anything. Before she came downstairs on Wednesday, I got the vase out of my closet and put it outside so Xela wouldn't see it when she came downstairs. Graigry held the flowers when we drove to Little Flower. I hadn't told the kids anything because I didn't want them to accidentally say anything, but now, with them in route to Little Flower, they wouldn't see her until after school.

I picked up Ro from Little Flower thinking we would just head to Herron. No. We had to stop by the house because Ro was wearing slipper like shoes and needed to get her backpack. Ro was quick but as we pulled out of the driveway, Xela opened the front door and asked us to wait a minute so she could come. That wouldn't work, of course, but for one immediate reason is that Aurora had the vase of flowers in her hands. I told her that Dad would pick her up and get her to school before 8:00, Ro had to get there by 7:30 for an accapella thing and this would give her, Xela, a few more minutes to get some homework done (she had not finished Tuesday night because I told her to go to bed because she kept falling asleep & wasn't feeling well). Xela closed the door and Ro and I were off with smiles on our faces. Xela, seemingly didn't have a clue., at least I hoped she hadn't seen the flowers anyway.

We got to school, I trimmed the rose stems while standing in the parking lot and we headed to the administrative office to wait for Mr. Westerfield. When he didn't show up after 10 minutes, we went back to the holding area for students that come between 7:30 and 8:00. Ro saw one friend and gave her one of the 16 gifts and then talked to Ms. Klinger and asked if she could take the flowers to Klinger's class room to wait for Mr. Westerfield. I needed to leave before Xela showed up, so Ro took the vase and bag of gifts and was off to work her magic.

I had a hard time focusing while at work and wished I could get Xela's facial reactions to the gifts. The plan was for her to get the flowers during lunch, but they were delivered during first period. So Xela had to carry her backpack, the vase of roses and Bruce (her water bottle that is 48+ ounces). Anyway, she received her gifts throughout the day, and soon figured out who was behind the gifts, even though Ro wanted it all to be anonymous.

I was anxious to get home and was given permission to leave work 15 minutes early. I dropped off the mail and rushed home. When I walked in the house, Xela came into the kitchen with a big smile and gave me a big hug with a "thank you." That made it all worth it. Then, while we made chicken nuggets and divided up the green grapes (Xela's requested birthday dinner) Xela and Aurora told us about the day. I sadly can't recount everything like they did to me, but it was a good day for each of them.

Here are some pictures from the kitchen as Xela pulled out what she'd received during the day. Some of the items she received were: R2D2 bubbles, several 16 gauge wires to sculpt with, can of Pringles, basketball shorts, sidewalk chalk, Olaf bracelet, heart earrings with necklace, Skittles, Mike & Ikes (she said these were her favorite candies when I asked her, and she said that she could eat them carefully and not do damage to her braces) and of course her flowers.

Beautiful flowers
for a beautiful young woman

Jessica Wingate from work made a card
for Xela and had several coworkers sign it.
(Xela opened the wrong end, that's why her arm
is going through the envelope.)
It included 16 pennies in a small pouch.
Xela thought that part was awesome!

Instead of a cake, Xela wanted banana pudding. Jessica and Katie at work asked if I was going to make banana pudding, with wafer cookies and real bananas. Nope - just instant boxes from Walmart. Like I said, Xela is a no stress, easy going kind of kid when it comes to that kind of stuff. :)

16 candles
and wax melting into the pudding

Make a Wish!

Wednesdays are our crazy days: get home from work and piano around 5:30, eat dinner, leave just after 6:00 to pick up people for mutual and then head to the church. The mutual had a combined activity on the 16th, playing Hungry Hippos (human version) and then fruit basket. I think it was a good ending to her day. They sang to Xela there too.

I was especially glad that she'd had a good day because not only was she sick, but she has been fighting a B in her Latin class all semester. She thinks she does well on a test and when she gets it back, her multiple choice section is always worse than she thought. She studies and goes to the teacher's office hours, has asked other students, has fasted and prayed and had blessings for help and she has felt like nothing she does works (been there). I think some of the being sick was the exhaustion, frustration and feeling depressed about all that. It was good to see her be her happy and smiling self again.

Can't believe she's 16! Driving and dating age. We went on her first date with her that Saturday, the 19th. A 17 year old from Fishers drove down and we went Duck Pin Bowling and to Santorini's (a Greek restaurant). Daniel King, was his name and he handled himself wonderfully on a date with a girls parents. He opened the door for her (which was totally unexpected by her and showed Eric up; Eric started opening the door for me as soon as Daniel did for Xela). I think we all had a good time, although when we got back home, Eric and I left those two to chat/say good bye. When Xela came inside, I asked if she walked him to his car, gave him a friendly hug or what she did. She said they chatted a minute and then he went to his car and she came inside. "I don't know what to do, Mom!"

She'll get the hang of it. So proud of my sweet 16 year old Xela! Don't ever forget that you are AWESOME!!!