Party Like it’s My Birthday!

Hey there! Hope all is well. Today we MUST hang out because I’m celebrating a special day. IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!!! GO TONI IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY, GONNA PARTY LIKE IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Just about every year since Ejuan and I have been married, he plans some type of surprise celebration for me. Either he whisks me away for a couple of days or longer to a beach resort, or he takes me to a nice hotel in another state for a relaxing getaway where he caters to me the entire time. He’s also planned intimate, surprise parties for me with some of my closest family members and friends. When I planned my own shindigs, he made sure to take care of the bill, sometimes in advance. Since I can’t celebrate my birthday as normal due to the pandemic, I hope that you can spend a little time via my blog to party with me today.

38 years ago on this date, on a Tuesday morning, a small, pink-skinned baby girl was born. After catching a glimpse of her, her family began to call her Pinky/Pink Thang. While the nickname didn’t stick around, (although from time to time someone may call me that), somehow subconsciously I believe the “pink” part did. For as long as I can remember, it has been my favorite color. No matter what I’m purchasing or what others may purchase for me, it usually is some shade of pink. From cell phones to laptop covers and headphones or other accessories, if I own it, most likely it is pink.

I have been so crazed by the color that I even aspired to own a pink car. I wanted something like a bright, Pepto Bismol pink. When I drove down the street, I didn’t want to have to go two miles so you could see me like Will Smith. I knew that color by itself would be eye-catching. Now, understand that I didn’t want a pink car to be seen, but I do know that it would be silly for me to think that I would go unnoticed in something so outlandish. As much as I like to not be the center of attention, if having a pink car would bring me into the spotlight, I was A-OK with that! I was so infatuated with having a pink car that I went crazy every time I spotted one on the road whether it was somewhere near home, out of state, and sometimes even in other countries. From a full-coverage pink ride to a vehicle with pink details, I was in awe. I would snap pics and even created a photo album on my personal Facebook page that holds these images. I posted so many of these photos that some of my Facebook friends began to snap photos while traveling locally or out of town, of pink cars they’ve spotted, and they would send them to me or tag me in a post.

While the idea for me to own a pink car has not completely faded, the shade I want has shifted. In my early twenties, the idea of this cute, bright pink sounded amazing. Now, nearing my forties, that doesn’t sound as ideal. It is my own perception and no one else’s opinion that bothers me, but I just can’t see myself rolling around in something so vibrant at this stage in my life. I would prefer something more toned down and light, but not Mary Kayish. No pun intended because I looooves me some Mary Kay! Also, I don’t want that to be my only or main form of transportation that I drive on a regular basis. It would be my ladies night, just hanging out, chillin’, drop the top with a cool breeze type of day vehicle. It would be my ‘fun car,’ but I would definitely need a normal car for everyday living.

Not only was pink a dream car color for me, but I made it a signature color to be worn on my birthday. I made this a thing for my 23rd birthday, if not before, but I went into a lot of details for that year. I deemed it necessary to find a “pink” look that I can rock each year. Fuchsia, hot pink, vivid pink, or whichever name you identify with, is my favorite shade of pink. However, depending on the season I’m shopping in, or where I’m looking, I couldn’t always find that shade of pink. There have been some birthdays where I wore a lighter shade, pale or pastel pink. At the end of the day, everybody that knows me understands what that color symbolizes on my birthday.

Wearing the color pink transcended beyond something I did for my birthday, but my friends, family and co-workers even wore the color to help me celebrate. For my 23rd Birthday, I displayed a flyer printed on pink paper inviting my coworkers to join in on the fun. I called it Pink Day. At the bottom of the flyer, it stated that the person who wears the most pink would win a prize. This was my first big year doing this and I surprisingly had a lot of participation from women and men. Of course, my husband wore pink because we have dressed alike pretty much every day since we became a couple many years ago. However, getting some of the other, old school men to participate was an astronomical feat in my eyes. They let go of their “men don’t wear pink mentality” just to show me support on my birthday, and that meant a lot to me! Although, most of them wore an article of clothing they already had in their closet, it still wasn’t something they picked out to wear on a regular basis.

Since that first year of including others in my “Pink Day,” birthday, this celebration went on for a few years. I have been making sure I had a cute pink outfit to wear every year after that. Sometimes I happen upon a ‘fit when I’m not looking while other times after a hunt, I’ve nailed down exactly what I want to wear for my big day. Years ago, I would already have something together by March at the latest. The past few years have been more last minute and even sometimes it’s so close to the date that I’m not sure I’ll have anything pink to wear. I began to feel like I’ve put myself in a box for trying to find that special pink look when I could just be cute in whatever. I told myself I’d stop trying, however, I’m not so sure that will ever happen at this point. I look forward to styling a new pink look and honestly, I have a few supporters that enjoy it just as well.

One other way my husband makes sure he celebrates my birthday is by putting pink fog lights on the house. He surprised me with a box of lights about seven years ago on Mother’s Day. I was like a kid in the candy store when it was time to put them out. When my birthday falls on the same week as Mother’s Day, the lights get changed out that Sunday evening and stay through Saturday. This year, my birthday is the next week after Mother’s Day, so no lights were put out that evening. I’ve gotten so used to seeing them out on that Sunday evening (or as everyone else puts it, SPOILED), not seeing them made me question Ejuan about them. He then explained that the lights get put out “the week” of my birthday, which means it would happen the following Sunday. However, a few days later as I was closing the front curtains I noticed something strange on the flower bed. It was then when I stepped to the side that I saw he had changed out the lights. I was so excited, just like that first year he surprised me with them!

Since the pandemic hit, my birthday celebration has been up in the air. My hubby had a week-long trip planned this year and he finally let go of the idea that it would still happen. In the last week, he rescheduled it. I found a dress last year that I was going to wear to another event and when I thought about it, I realized it was more appropriate for me to wear on my birthday, so I saved it. Unfortunately, I don’t believe I’ll have a place to wear it to. Therefore, it might just sit around until the following year. Then again, it’s ME I’m talking about, so I’m sure I’ll come up with something.

Until then, I’ll leave you with this. Whether you choose to celebrate big or small, please celebrate your day. It’s not just any other day, rather it’s a day that you are still here on this earth. It’s another day to be grateful. It’s a day to recap over the past year and think about how you have changed and the things you have learned. If you don’t use this day to celebrate yourself, then celebrate the God that has allowed you to still be six feet above the ground. Celebrate your parents that birthed and/or raised you because without them your birthday wouldn’t mean much. You can also do something great for someone else, to show that you have been given an opportunity to still find and/or pursue your purpose. If you’re like me and consider your birthday its own National Holiday (don’t judge me, judge my mama that created this monster, lol) and want it to be all about you, that’s ok too! It’s your day and you can cry if you want to. I would love to hear how you celebrate your special day. Comment below and share some of the things you do. And thanks again for celebrating with me and reading this blog post!