What did I want for my birthday present? Well, of course, I wanted to camp and hike lost in the middle of the desert with my love, Dan.
And I wanted to dance on my birthday!
On my sixty-one(derful) birthday Dan took me on a dinner dance cruise in Puget Sound. I felt like a princess at a ball, and he was (and still is) my prince charming. My 61st birthday was a day I will never forget. It was truly magical.
That was our first birthday together. Ten years ago—a whole decade, and it has been an amazingly wonderful ten years. I would happily re-live every one of those days with Dan again.
My seventy-one(derful) birthday was even more magical. We find it unbelievable that we enjoy each other more with each passing day. This is a gift that we give to each other every day.
For my birthday trip we camped on the Mogollon Rim at 6800’ elevation. While the temperatures at our home were over 100 degrees, on this high desert plateau it topped out at 85 with the nights in the 50’s—perfect weather for hiking, being outdoors all day long, and then sleeping at night cuddled together in our little home nestled in the pines!
My birthday began with the most lovely cards from my Dan, propped up on my pillows.
I always surprise Dan with bacon for breakfast on special occasions. He didn’t expect bacon on MY birthday. So even after ten years together, I got to once again surprise him on my birthday morning with yummy bacon. This means that I got to see his big happy smile that I love so!
After breakfast we donned our backpacks and found the most unique and beautiful forest meadows we’ve ever seen.
I am intrigued by the delicate beauty of each wildflower that I discover. And Dan loves to see my excitement when I spy a new blossom.
We were surprised to see “tanks” dotting the plateau every mile or so as we hiked. These are small manmade ponds, some dried up, but many of these tanks contained water. This area is maintained by the Arizona Fish and Wildlife Department, and considering the abundance of elk droppings that we saw, it appears that this is prime hunting territory.
I wanted to have a picture of us on my birthday in our beautiful meadows. To do this I have Dan waiting and ready at the photo spot. I perch my camera on a rock or tree and set the timer. Then I have 20 seconds to sprint over to Dan, nestle into him, and act like we’re casually together in our meadow.
Little did I know, but on this day as I prepared our “together picture,” Dan took a video of me precariously balancing the camera on an old fallen tree and running to join him in the picture.....
At the end of the video you can hear me say “hat off!” This is to remind Dan to take off his sun hat, because I want to be able to see his handsome face in our photo.
Here is our “together picture” in our amazing meadow!
My birthday afternoon was as special as was our morning. We sat together in the shade with the wind blowing through the pine trees, me knitting and Dan building his model cars. We were alone on our plateau, talking and remembering our years together and the rich memories we share.
Dan gave me special birthday gifts, each one unique, part of our history. My University annual from the year I graduated and a directory from my first year of high school. It feels as if Dan was by my side all those years ago. I have told him all my stories of my childhood and the years before he came into my life, as he has told me his.
And he gave me a letter sent to “Mom” written 78 or 79 years ago by a soldier at a Desert Training Center during World War II. We were both crying by the time I finished reading this letter. We’ll never know what happened to this young soldier. But we do know that he loved his mother, and we know how much she would have worried about her boy going to war.
We also know that this young boy is the reason we can be out here now, enjoying our country. We hope he made it through the war, and that his mother did not die of a broken heart, but many boys did not.
We both cherish this letter, and I will put it in our China cabinet where we will always honor this boy who fought for our country. We will remember him.
The Desert Training Centers have a very special meaning to us, as we have camped and explored virtually all of these centers where General Patton trained the boys who were shipped out to fight in the North African deserts during World War II. After that part of the war, many took part in the invasion at Normandy.
I got to choose what I wanted for my birthday dinner and what kind of birthday cake I wanted. So I chose freshly baked berry pie with chocolate chip ice cream for dinner!
And berry pie with chocolate chip ice cream for my birthday cake too! What fun....just what a seventy-one year old kid would choose.
Just like on my birthday ten years ago, Dan took me in his arms and we danced.
The best gift Dan gives to me is his life. Every one of his days, he gives to me. There is no greater gift that can be given. And I thank him for this. This is nothing more precious, and I will be gentle with his gift.
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When we returned home to Nuestra Casa, there were happy birthday cards, emails, and presents waiting for me from our children, grandchildren, family.
And birthday texts from Stella and Marina:
I am surrounded with love, and this makes me very happy.
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