A New Tradition

I love tradition. Remember? If not, read this. And though I’d like to infuse creativity into the day-to-day activities of life in the Freeman household, things sometimes get…well, monotonous.

Last year, sometime in early August, Jerry came home one day to tell me that he was working on a surprise but needed a little input before making the final decision. He had been planning to take Maddie and I to that “cabbage-doll-place.” Bless his heart, growing up with three brothers didn’t involve a trip to Babyland General Hospital, so he couldn’t be blamed for his lack of technical terminology. But he did know that Cabbage Patch Kids were a special part of my childhood, and he wanted to take a trip there to celebrate Maddie’s half-birthday.

You should probably understand that Jerry and I aren’t overly sentimental people. We don’t celebrate the anniversary of the first time we went out to lunch, or the first time we held hands…we’re not even sure what to really call our first date. Neither of us grew up in households where half-birthdays were a really big deal. Yet somehow, we had been talking about this half-a-year-milestone for Maddie in a way that built it up to be something worth celebrating. So, to Babyland General we went…coming home with a thoroughly underwhelmed 6-month-old and a newly adopted CPK, Lizzie Belle.

Somewhere along the streets of Helen, GA, we discovered that this celebration included a lot of flexibility and togetherness. We ate at some unknown (and possibly sketchy) places, walked through some hidden treasure troves and stayed in a motel that…well, probably didn’t get many stars from AAA. But oh, how we laughed…and played…and simply enjoyed the pure joy of our little family. It seemed a new tradition must be born.

Birthdays are wonderful. They include parties and presents…and being surrounded by all of those who love you so dearly. The fanfare and celebration are special reminders of how blessed we all are to have the gift of life. I wouldn’t trade anything about the celebration of Maddie’s first birthday. However, somewhere in that celebration, it can be hard to steal a quiet family moment together. Half-birthdays pass without fanfare, without parties, and often without much notice. But not anymore in our house. Half-birthdays might not always involve a special trip or vacation…but we will take time to mark them quietly, with plenty of laughter and love.

As we celebrated a second “half-birthday” in Charleston this weekend, we realized that a hidden blessing in having two children who will likely have birthdays quite close to one another is the special thought that Labor Day will remain our half-birthday weekend for both of our children. So if you need us on Labor Day, we’re sorry…the Freemans are out of commission.

You see, it’s half-birthday time. It’s now a tradition.

Happy 1st Birthday, Lizzie Belle. Happy one-and-a-half, my precious Maddie. Happy -.5 birthday, sweet little one. We have plans for you all next Labor Day.