I LOVE birthdays.

It's your own personal holiday, where all of the people that you love, and that love you, come together to celebrate the day you became a part of this world.  And in my case this year, talk to each other like pirates.  (Love you, Aunt Carolyn!!)

I start talking about my birthday at least two months in advance, and I've already finalized my plans for Jim's birthday this year, which is in December.

I just love birthdays.  But it's not just the obvious that gets me going...

Miss Madison, the youngest of our girls, turned 4 last week, and naturally we celebrated in big time style.  She's my girly-girl, all into pink and sparkles and dressing up and make believe.  In reality, she's a little lady after my own heart.

So of course, as is tradition in our house, Mads and I made special pink birthday cupcakes with special pink icing.  And she got lots and lots of sparkly pink jewelry to layer on, with a sparkly pink crown and fuzzy dress up shoes. 

But it was when we turned out the lights, and brought her the four pink cupcakes with four pink candles on it that she was most excited.  It was then that she really believed that day, that moment was HERS....her special day to take one more step closer to being a big girl.

She closed her little eyes, and clinched her little fists and blew with all her might...and made one mighty birthday wish, I'm sure.  And she believed it would come true.

And just as all our girls do in ways they'll never realize, she touched my heart and reminded me in that second that we should never stop believing in our wishes.  We should never stop believin'.

I want Jim and Taylor, Kiersten and Madison to always feel the magic of their day- to know that I'm forever grateful that they are here to celebrate with and be celebrated.

So hooray for birthdays and hooray for candles and magic and wishes. 

I hope you make one on your special day...and I hope you believe it will come true!

Lauren K.

P.S. And don't forget to celebrate another special day- October 29th, which is National Cat Day.  Or, as we refer to it in the Keeling household, National Charley Day.

P.P.S. I can't let the reference to one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE SONGS go un-noticed.  Click on the link for a super awesome rendition of  Don't Stop Believin', courtesy of our friends over at Fox Parkersburg.  www.dailymotion.com/video/x9d28q_glee-dont-stop-believe_shortfilms