Birthday Shout Out #10

Okay, I may be getting a tad nuts on the whole birthday shouting out, but I feel if you read my blog you should have a mention. Originally, the plan was for people with whom I exchange cards, gifts, lunches, etc. But then I realized there are birthdays I remember of people from my past, and if they read my blog, I shouted out to them. Then the other day while on Facebook I sent a birthday greeting to someone, and after hitting send all of my friends' March birthdays popped up. The next birthday in the cue just happened to be someone who reads me religiously, and I mean, she is my biggest fan, and even though I had no idea what date she was born on I couldn't let her day pass without a shout out. Because....hello! B-I-G-G-E-S-T F-A-N. She'd stalk me if she could, well, especially in the winter since I live in Florida, but seriously, she is my biggest fan and reader. She loves me.

SO......

Happy Birthday to my cousin by marriage, Jaimee, who doesn't spell her name right spells her name differently just so she can tell people they have screwed up her name. I get it. I use to have to tell people, and sometimes still do, that my name is with a C instead of a K because people are so stupid.

The first time I remember meeting Jaimee was some family gathering, and she was in the group we labeled "young and cute" which probably, if I'm being honest, really meant in our minds, "beautiful with nothing upstairs". And when I say "we" I really mean me. I've always been self conscious about my looks and body image and so I judged others without really knowing them. Plus, she didn't rush over and fawn over me like she does now and that hurt my feelings and made me feel like she didn't even care about knowing me. (And yes, this is a shout out to someone and not all about me, but remember whose damn blog this is and remember that it is therapeutic too).

The young kids hardly joined in with us elders at family events. I'm sure they judged us as well, but again, just like with my SIL, babies started being birthed and suddenly we had something in common. The real first memory I have of sitting and talking to Jaimee was after she had her first baby. I can remember where we were and where we all were sitting during that conversation, and afterwards I remember coming away from there realizing that I had misjudged this woman.

Not only did she have something upstairs, but she was witty and quite capable at holding her own. I went several years without really talking to her again other than a quick "hi, nice to see you" at reunions, but about five years ago we sat down and started talking. We haven't stopped talking since. She is amazing. She has about fifty degrees and knows everything. She has about ten children and manages them and a household all while working five jobs. She is crafty and everything in her house is handmade and her children wear handmade clothes. I don't know how she does it. She's wonder woman.

Okay, all of that might be a slight exaggeration, but just slight. She recently, and quite unexpectedly, birthed baby number four (bur, really after three who counts...it all seems like ten). She cares for her children, works in the medical field, is studying to get her doctorate degree, builds professional dioramas, travels millions of miles with children without blinking an eye, and maintains a home. ALL AT THE SAME TIME. Who does that? Wonder Woman, that's who.

I tell you, she blows me away with her capability, her sense of humor, her compassion for others, and her tell it like it is attitude. She's gorgeous and always put together like she just stepped out of a modeling gig, and she knows everything about everybody who is anybody. And she tells great stories like I do with plenty of drama and details. I just dearly love the woman, and am so thankful that I got to know her instead of sticking to my first judgement, shame on me.

Happy Birthday Jaimee! I'm so happy that you're family, but I'm thrilled that you're my friend. Oh, and my biggest fan. Thanks for that too!