A Mother Always Knows

A few weeks ago was my, ahem, thirty-first birthday. On this day, we were still in the midst of moving, so my birthday was not on anybody's list of immediate concerns. My hubby, kids, my Dad, and I went out for dinner, and it was nice. But, I couldn't help thinking that this would be the very first birthday I ever had without a cake. My dad, hubby and the kids sang "Happy Birthday" to me at the restaurant even though there was no cake. This lifted my spirits. But, the big surprise came when we got home. My mom, you see, had hurt her back and was unable to go out for dinner with us. She had stayed at home to rest. However, when we got home, we discovered a pretty pink cake sitting on the counter and ice cream in the freezer. My mother had snuck off to the store, injured back and all, while we were at dinner just so I would have a cake for my birthday. I was delighted. Such a seemingly simple thing meant so much to me, and, more importantly, let me know that I was loved. Thanks, Mom.