Part 1: Winner of the buttons and part 2: UNEXPECTED SURPRISE from Friday!!!

PART 1:
And the winner of the little buttons is Amy Karol!!! Yay Amy!!!! Congratulations!! !This time I asked Natalie to open the book in order to find out who the winner was and she went directly to page 138! Thank you Natalie and thank you sooo much to each one of you for participating in this game!!! There will be more coming!

PART 2:
SURPRISE SURPRISE SURPRISE!!!!
Oh my friends! I have something wonderful to share with you about my birthday on Friday! Remember how I told you that Bill and I were going to have our special dinner at night at my favorite restaurant? Well, what I didn’t know is that a SURPRISE PARTY was waiting for me at the place!!!! I could not believe it!!! Bill invited four couples, each one of them is special and unique and I just love them so much!. They all have very busy lives and putting everybody together in the same room was like a miracle. Imagine how I felt! I could not stop smiling, I was sooo happy!

This is the second most special birthday that I ever had in my life. In order to understand why this SURPRISE party meant so much for me I need to go a little back in time. Growing up in Cuba I never had a birthday party, not when I was one or two or three… and I never got presents because we just couldn’t afford it. As a little girl my birthday was never a special day so I grew up that way and it felt like the most normal thing ever. Birthday parties are a celebration of life and I imagine that because we had a hard life then we didn’t have a lot to celebrate. I became a teenager: 13, 14, and then 15!

In the Latino culture turning 15 for a girl is an important event and even the poorest families try to put together a party or something small for the birthday girl but I just knew that we were not going to be able to afford it and I was absolutely fine with it. And here is the story of what happened next:

The day when I turned 15 I just went to school as every normal day and I even forgot to tell my friends that it was my birthday. We had our Math class, then Spanish class, everything was completely normal and then OUT OF THE BLUE EVERYBODY GOT UP AND STARTED SINGING HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME. I was absolutely in shock! I didn’t know what to do other than cry. But that was only the beginning! Immediately after the happy birthday song and in a perfect coordination my classmates moved the tables and the chairs around and created a big circle in the classroom, then like pure magic there was salsa music and a big cake, I didn’t have time to process what was going on, it really took me like 15 minutes to understand that they had put a surprise birthday party together for me. What the teachers and my classmates didn’t know is that that was my very fist birthday party ever since I was born. I can’t even describe you the huge impact that this celebration had in my life. All the love that I got from my friends and teachers that day turned into a special fuel that gave me enough energy to go through my teenage years.

Having my second surprise birthday party 22 years later after my first one, under completely different circumstances was something so meaningful. I was telling Bill the other day that right now I am going through one of the most difficult times in my life because everyday is a challenge. But on the other hand I find myself surrounded of so much love and this makes a whole difference, all this wonderful energy gives me the impulse to get up everyday and do my best as a mother, as a wife and as a creative person. I feel like the luckiest girl ever and all I want is to give all that love back in every possible way, being this blog one of them. I want to say thank YOU for all the beautiful birthday wishes in my Friday post and THANK YOU for taking the time to visit this place because it means the world to me.

THANK YOU to my beautiful friends for coming to the dinner celebration and a very special THANK YOU for my dear friend MARGIE because what you did for my birthday was something that I will absolutely treasure forever!!! Much love from the bottom of my heart to everyone!

Elsita :)

Comments

[BB]

Wow! What a lovely surprise birthday! Glad to hear you had a fab one!! :)

[margaret oomen]

I am having trouble typing because the tears are flowing freely. I feel so blessed to have played a small part in your wonderful day of celebration and was incredibly happy that you named your little doll Diego. Your post reminds me of a similar event in our family. My daughter has a very special friend who is now an adult and never received birthday presents from his parents either. On his birthday he would be given an envelope with money in it. No card or note with it, just the money. He was expected to use it for something he really needed. When I heard about this I invited this friend to spend his birthday with us. I made a few special things for him and found some special thrifted items that I thought he would like ( it was easy because he loves elephants) . I wrapped each gift individually and we made some birthday cards for him. When he woke up he had a special basket of gifts waiting for him. It was a very special day for him just like the one you had when you were 15.

[lynne]

I stumbled upon your blog due to the Flower Girls. A treat! A breath of fresh air.

And then....

You post this.
One of my all time favorite blog postings ever ever.

A reminder to live.

Thanks and....

Happy Birthday!

[Esti]

Gracias por compartir tus buenos y tus malos momentos. Todo a tu alrededor es belleza. Te mereces lo mejor.

[patricia]

Thank you for sharing your story with us. I'm so glad that you had such a wonderful time!

[Victoria]

From reading your blog and looking at your beautiful work, one can sense that there is something extra special about you. It is no wonder that those around you cherish you so. Wishing you a long life full of lovely surprises!

[melissa Crowe]

Oh--Elsa, your words are nearly as beautiful as your art, and I thank you for sharing your birthday story. I think it touches me so much because it speaks to that small ache in each of us (at least all of us who grew up poor), the little girl inside that feels deprived and grateful at the same time, if that makes any sense. And how amazing it is when some beloved does something to show that s/he truly sees us and celebrates us! This is always the BEST surprise, no?

[Erin Gergen Halls]

Curious , isnt it, how we tend to spend so much time wondering and being concerned or bitter about what we DON'T have. We never seem to spend as much time trying to understand why we HAVE the things we do. You seem an exception to that rule, which is refreshing and inspiring. The Universe seems to have given you these special days, these celebrations of you, at just the right moments in time. What a precious gift, what good karma. Congratulations! Why ask why? Why not?! You are obviously very deserving. Curious, indeed!

[khairun]

Ive been reading your blog for the last few days now, cant remember how I came across it in the first place. But I have to say, its a wonderful blog, full of joy and laughter. Alot of youre work from the past gives such an interesting insight into how your style has evolved and been nurtured over the years. A real source of inspiration for artists like me, trying to get out there and show the world what theyve got. Love your personality and commitment to creativity.

And I mustnt forget..Belated Birthday Wishes!

[rowena]

I am very happy for your happiness.

It warms my heart to hear about the hard times you have had, and even are still struggling with, and know that your life is filled with such love and positivity.

I know also how you feel about birthdays. I had one birthday party when I was five, which no one came to :( and then not another one, (except for a home made cake and family singing, because we were so poor,) until I was 25 and I threw it for myself. It was a great party. But I think that experience in part has made me really value the small celebrations and wishes that my friends have given me. I never expect them, but they mean a lot.

[Katie]

You are a wonderful person and I love reading your blog. Happy Birthday!

[Eva]

what a touching story! if i was at home, instead of at work at my desk, i think i would have cried :) but a good cry. i love vivid, happy memories like that!!!

[Jamie Welsh Watson]

A very happy belated birthday to you, Elsita! Tears came to my eyes, reading this beautiful story. Your joy and happiness radiates so strongly through your blog. Thank you for this!

[Lorrie]

That sounds so nice, happy birthday :)

[Amy Sullivan]

Elsita, I had a very tiering Mommy day today. A visit to an Endodontist for my 15 year old son, that had an infection where a root canal had already been done.But, my one goal today was to get him better.I feel better now because he was treated. I got home tired , but happy.

Now, I sit all teary from your beautiful story.
Elsita , I am so happy that you had such a beautiful day.
I am so happy that I can come here read your dear story's.oxoxox, amy sullivan

[Amy Sullivan]

Elsita, I had a very tiering Mommy day today. A visit to an Endodontist for my 15 year old son, that had an infection where a root canal had already been done.But, my one goal today was to get him better.I feel better now because he was treated. I got home tired , but happy.

Now, I sit all teary from your beautiful story.
Elsita , I am so happy that you had such a beautiful day.
I am so happy that I can come here read your dear story's.oxoxox, amy sullivan

[Amy Sullivan]

Elsita, I had a very tiering Mommy day today. A visit to an Endodontist for my 15 year old son, that had an infection where a root canal had already been done.But, my one goal today was to get him better.I feel better now because he was treated. I got home tired , but happy.

Now, I sit all teary from your beautiful story.
Elsita , I am so happy that you had such a beautiful day.
I am so happy that I can come here read your dear story's.oxoxox, amy sullivan

[Linnea]

Thank you for sharing that... I'm so happy that you had that experience when you were 15, and again, another one this year. Beautiful, story. I'm so happy for you! (happy birthday!!!)

[Dayami]

Hi, this is my 1st time reading your blog and I have to say these words you wrote about your childhood really touched my heart.
I understand exactly what you mean because I was born in Cuba as well. I too dont look at my birthday as a big deal and to be completely honest it feels like any other day.
I am happy to hear you got your birthday parties and I wish you many many more with lots of health and happiness.
Dayami

[Robyn]

What wonderful art! I want to be you - so much talent, so much joy. I will be a regular visitor from now on.

[rachel]

such a sweet story, thank you for sharing :)

[Lynn]

Oh Elsita, what a sweet story. Thanks for sharing it with us. Birthdays are very important to me and before now I never even thought of someone not having a birthday party and presents.

I'm so happy that I found your blog and your art. :)

[Anne]

A very belated Happy Birthday, beautiful Elsita!
I am so happy to hear you had a wonderful suprise waiting for you.
Loving friends are a gift in themselves.
Good for you and hope you have many more happy days to come!!

[ana carina]

Oh Elsa, my English is not very good, but I have to tell you this, in the best way I can.

I'm a recent reader to your blog, and sometimes I comment, others don't, but I read every post you write.

I find you so inspiring, so optimistic, with such a "joi de vivre" !! I get quite emotional by reading some of the things you write, but this time..

I cried. I cried not because I'm sad, but because I'm touched.

Internet is an amazing thing, bu giving us these connections and feelings with people we don't even know.

Thank you!

[Patricia]

Your birthday story was bittersweet. But now you can make up for the lack of birthday parties when you were younger--maybe a double celebration every year? Thank you for telling the world about the wonderful treasure of a blog written by your friend Margie. I wrote a blog post about how inspiring both of you have been to me. Thank you! See http://zencrafting.blogspot.com/2008/05/ways-of-seeing.html