I have even more and better news.   I've been joking back and forth about recording all of these, and we're kicking off a project to do just that! 

We do have some recorded already, but we just listened to them and wow did we have a lot to learn when we recorded them.  So we're going to do them again before we post them.

But I'll keep you posted as we go.  I'm really excited, though.  I've always been really proud of them and I'm really happy to have you able to hear them.

Awesome news!  I got permission to put the recording live.  Here's littlesniper, singing:

https://soundcloud.com/user-559626035/birthday-song-2020-i-smile-remembering

Oh, yeah, and now I have a SoundCloud.  :eyeroll at self:

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I've accomplished another lap around the sun, and the children have kept with tradition by writing and singing my annual birthday song.

Every year since they were in the third grade my kids (more accurately, my daughters with some very occasional help from my sons) write a parody song making fun of me and how old/gray/geeky I am. It is referred to as my "birthday song". When they were younger my daughters would perform it in front of everyone at the church Youth Group meeting that week and a written transcript of the lyrics is part of my birthday card. It's probably because of too much Smothers Brothers and Weird Al in the playlists while they were growing up or something.

It's all in good fun, and they work on it for a good couple months leading up my birthday. They take it seriously and they all work together. I love that they make the effort and how creative they are with it. I do my part by pretending to be stung a bit because they'd be disappointed if I didn't, but it's really hard to hide the smiles.

Mostly they're from Disney songs or classic musicals like "You're Never Fully Dressed Without A Life", "At the Desk Where You Live", or a remake of the "Part of Your World" song from The Little Mermaid detailing all the computer crap I own and how I should go out to mall. There's a Muppets song in there, too.

This year was a tear jerker, full stop. I'm so incredibly grateful for all of my kids. No matter how little I think I deserve it, they love me and that is a gift I treasure above all others.  

Originally, the title of the song was a Firefly reference, but the connection was a little too inside baseball so we changed it. It was combined with a sly commentary on how one of the main parameters of this one was to make me cry in front of people. Which it did.

I Smile Remembering
Sung to the tune of James Arthur's "Say You Won't Let Go"

You took us to the park,
tucked us in bed.
Pulled up the covers, gave a kiss on the head.
Sweet dreams turned night to day,
and it starts again.
I smile remembering it every now and then.

We were always driving you crazy.
You'd be dead if we weren't so lazy.
We've put your patience to the test.
Even if you're memory's hazy,
we've been thinking about it lately.
We know you always tried your best.

We still remember them,
The rules you made.
Don't pet the pizza and no homemade grenades.
Although those times have gone,
and reasons fade,
Those stories stay with us like they were yesterday.

I've never felt alone...
I've never felt alone...

Fast forward to the years,
we lost our minds.
Pressure to be someone that wouldn't be left behind.
You told us we should just,
give it some time.
Ourselves are something that everyone has to find.

Sometimes I think it's better,
to treasure the things we remember.
Even things we wanted to forget.
But I know time spent together,
won't always last forever.
So I won't bother to regret.

When we were young we thought,
the world revolved,
around our problems that were typical and small.
The mountains that we made,
of molehills gone,
all I can say is that I'm glad we've all moved on.

I've never felt alone...
I've never felt alone...

Thank you for being there.
We could never know,
How hard it was for you, not to let it show.
Frustrating as we were,
you helped us grow.
And we'll be here for your until we're gray and old.

You took us to the park,
tucked us in bed.
Pulled up the covers, gave a kiss on the head.
I've never felt alone....
I've never felt alone....

I know I'm not alone....
We've never felt alone....

They're back at their own homes and it's quiet here. I've been typing this in with a dewy smile on my face and I really don't mind. Now I'm a year older in the only way I want to measure it.