Chad’s birthday cake was made using Jane Ann’s Cherry Fudge Cake recipe and it was fantastic. Definitely something we’ll be making again. In years past, I’ve given Chad the opportunity to choose his birthday cake but he usually finds cakes that have 12 layers and require 13 days to make. He loves chocolate and he loves cherries so a couple of weeks ago when I read this recipe on Jane Ann’s blog, I knew exactly what cake Chad would get for his birthday.
He left for work before Vince got home from work and he didn’t get off til 10 so we had the celebration at 10:30 p.m. Not too bad for a 21 year old but us old folks may be wishing we hadn’t had so much cake and ice cream so late.
Speck wouldn’t take his eyes off the candles.
The candles were sparkler candles and they didn’t want to blow out so we finally got a glass of water and dunked them to put them out.
It’s so hard to look at Chad, with that hair on his face, and look at the baby pictures and little boy pictures that are all over the house and realize how quickly it happened. That just doesn’t seem right! I want more time with him and he’s about to grow up and leave. I’m not so sure I like this at all.
Anyway . . the birthday has come and gone and on Chad’s birthday, I am again reminded of that morning 21 years ago, when our phone rang shortly after 5 in the morning to tell us that the baby we knew would soon arrive, had arrived and “it” was a boy. I had been so sure “it” was going to be a girl and only had girl names chosen (none of which do I even remember now), so the entire day was spent saying boy names together to come up with a combination we liked. As Chad has celebrated his birthday today, I’ve been very aware that a lady somewhere is also remembering this day 21 years ago and I hope that she has some idea how much I cherish and love this young man, and how thankful I am to her for the difficult decision she made 21 years ago.
Vicki W says
A happy day for both of you indeed!
Vicky says
These are great pictures, Judy! What a special day for your family!
nanci says
I have a Black and Decker that I got from my mom and it’s just the best iron that I’ve ever had. I don’t think it was expensive either. I think it’s the fit that matters. You know how it fits in your hand when you work.
Nice blog you have, thanks for letting me drop in…
grace says
judy, all us moms of grown children are in the same boat; my “baby” is 34 and I, too, wish I could have one more day of rocking her, cuddling her, etc. It does go way too fast; that’s always my advice to new moms is to spend as much time as you like when they are that small as it goes all too quickly. (sniff, sniff)
Ruthie says
Happy Birthday Chad! This one gave me goosebumps reading it.
Kris says
Happy Birthday! What a great day to have with family!
Kris
Diana Wilson says
My baby will be 21 in May. so I totally understand. Happy birthday to BOTH of you! We moms celebrate the day as well as our children!
Judy says
Those years do speed by, don’t they! My “baby” is 33, and he’s a cherry lover also. Where did you find the cherry syrup? And in that yummy sounding salad, the cranberry/cherry one, what kind of cherries did you use? I am having trouble finding anything but tart cherries in a can…..times have sure changed. HELP! And thanks in advance…..
A very happy holidays to you and your family…a Christmas child is the best gift of all.
diana says
Oh, Judy! How wonderful of you to remember the young woman who made the best choice for her child. My precious grandson is adopted and I often think of the difficult decision his mother made when she decided not to keep him. Chad’s birth mother had no idea the wonderful life she was allowing him to have by giving him to you. I hope he realizes how blessed he is!!
enjoy your boy!!
Happy Birthday Chad,
Diana in Illinois
p.s.On another subject, where has cj tinkle gone?? does she have a new blog somewhere??
Jane Ann says
So glad you tried the cake and it was a hit. As rich as it is, I could sit and eat the whole pan, though I’d probably die before I finished.
I’ve always fantasized about having 24 hours to revisit my girls as little ones–but then, which 24 hours would I choose? A few years ago I told a young friend, via email, who was in Russia adopting a baby and really homesick and scared and fed up with Russian bureaucracy, “Honey, there is no easy way to get a baby. It hurts all kinds of ways and demands more than you thought you were capable of. But so worth it, and you’ll soon know that for yourself.” Bless you for remembering that selfless young woman too.