I love birthdays!

One whole day to love on just one person.

One day that allows you to give a person a glimpse into how much their life means to you!

It is almost 19 years ago that our birthday tradition began.

It was my birthday during our first year of marriage and my day started off with a stack of envelopes.

Keep in mind that we barely had any money in those years but what followed made me feel so rich.

Each envelope was numbered and each envelope led to another adventure.

I couldn’t open the next number until we had accomplished the one before it.

We did all of my favorite things.

We went to the bookstore and I got one book.

We went for coffee at my favorite cafe in DC.

We had lunch at the mall surrounded by all the museums I loved so much.

We went tanning (I know, I know…but I used to really love it before kids).

There were about 15 envelopes and we went from one fun thing to the next.

The point was the day was all about me and all of the little things that would make me smile.

After we had children I wanted to start “the envelopes” as we call them.

If you ask my children what they want for their birthdays they always yell, “Envelopes!”

Who can turn down a day completely filled with all the little things that they love?

Who can turn down the excitement of a day of surprises and adventures?

A few weeks ago it was my mom’s birthday (and she now lives here) and my gift to her was a stack of envelopes.

So, the tradition continues.