"Mom, how does it feel to be half dead?"

I awoke the morning of Feb. 11th by a phone call from my daughter, Ashley, asking me how I felt to be half dead. It was my birthday, I did turn 50, and it had only been one week since I had some surgery. Puzzled by her question, I found myself reflecting on that question most of the day. Without my knowledge, my sweet hubby had sent out a mass email and spent countless hours calling friends and family to see if he could get 50 people to call, email, text or come by the house to wish me a Happy 50th Birthday. And so the adventure began................

The day before my birthday I received a call from a friend in Green Rive, Wyo. He wished me Happy Birthday and I quickly told him he was a day early and reminded him that we haven't talked for years then asked why now.............that got me thinking! After Ashley's call on the 11th I still suspected nothing as I knew all my wonderful kids would call me sometime during the day. But then something strange happened, my cell phone kept ringing, the house phone kept ringing, I received texts from Maddie's friends wishing me happy birthday. We are still one of the few remaining families on the whole face of the earth that does not have caller ID so I had no idea who was calling. I received a call from a man I don't even know but he wanted in on the fun! I got a call from my neighbor who was in Spokane doing business! I got a birthday greeting from family in Chile and Egypt! I got visits at the door accompanied by flowers, roasted almonds and yummy smelling lotion! Five yr. old Adam brought me a balloon, his sister came 5 minutes later with another, and then their mom showed up! My very doctor that did the surgery had his whole office staff sing to me. Our former Mayor, and my good friend sent an incredible bouquet from his flower shop. They kept coming and coming! It didn't take me long to figure out the surprise and so I actually started keeping track so that Ron could know of his efforts.

By about 2:00 in the afternoon Ron called and asked how things were going (wink, wink) and I told him I was exhausted and needed to take a nap. "Couldn't you email everyone and tell them to give me 1/2 hour?" He said, "Happy Birthday Jill." All of my kids did call, Ding-Dong... another nieghbor, my siblings skyped with me, Ding-Dong....you guessed it, another friend, there were facebook well wishes, a heart-shaped pizza, my mom, Ding-Dong.........and on and on.....................Dave & Claudia Walker, some friends, were the last around 10:00 p.m.!

Never have I felt more alive with love and support from so many family and friends but also half dead because of the post-op activity. All in all over 100 people shared with me birthday greetings. It was a wonderful day. I have a wonderful support group of family and friends and most of all I have a wonderful husband................you got me good sweetie!