Emma Marie: A selcouth celebration

A selcouth celebration

Today I woke up feeling as if it was going to be like any other day.

Yes, it's my birthday - but what makes me special?

I'm sure there are a whole ton of other people born today,

five of my Facebook friends in fact and Justin Bieber (ew),

and Ke$ha apparently, March 1st is pretty popular I guess.

Thankfully I have friends who would like to prove me wrong.

Today's birthday began with yesterday,

thankfully I have my best friend Mike and my

co-editor Megan to remember me.

Oreo cake anyone? Yeah, Oreos are my favorite.

They remembered! Even though we didn't have school today, someone remembered when we did have school. So thanks guys for the highly embarrassing off-key birthday song.

One of my other best friends, Daniel Donaldson, wanted to make me breakfast burritos -- but then I found out the greatest news of all time - today was FREE pancake day at IHOP (The International House of Pancakes) [umm, can you tell I've been on the Journalism staff for too long?). So we went there instead. It was the greatest thing I could've asked for. The whole restaurant singing to me, free food, presents, it was the best time AND we donated 18 dollars for 18 years. Did I mention the server? Hilarious.

Did I mention this bunch got all of IHOP to sing to me?

Did I mention David and Emily sang a harmonized version of Happy Birthday?

Did I mention that I've probably loaded up on chocolate and will smell wonderful for the rest of my life?

Oh yes and that I get to go on a shopping trip via gift card?

I'm not really sure that I could ask for better friends then the ones I have right now

and yes that means all of you out there.

The past few weeks I've had such a hard time,

I really didn't think I was all that important.

I was just sure that in all the hussle and bussle of life, I got lost.

I just assumed that the world forgot about me and really didn't care.

Boy, was I proved wrong -- thanks for showing up,

thanks for being there when I needed you most.

After venturing out for pancakes in the morning and receiving some wonderful gifts from friends, my other friend took me to the mall. We did something I've always wanted to do, photobooth! It seemed quite appropriate to pick the one that said "Made in the 90s" because hey, I'm 18 and I was!

Just for future reference if I ever have one of these with a guy, you'll know - it's serious.

After spending all day with my friends it was time for the family celebration. We went out to California Pizza Kitchen (CPK). Not my favorite restaurant but one that worked best for everyone (mostly just for my nephews, like that little one in the background there - classic, so classic). Ironically I had fish, we go to a Pizza place and I eat fish - I'm afraid there might be something wrong with me world, uh oh.

After dinner I came home, went back to hanging out with Daniel. Yeah, that kid is best. Oh and yes we have a huge movie list to watch. My mom got called back into work, I was babysitting for a bit and then I got a lovely text from Ben. Oh dear Journalism staff, thank you. I have never actually received a personalized cake in my entire life. I cannot even explain how grateful I am to know all of you. I am thouroughly excited to be able to enjoy this...tomorrow. Have you seen how much food I ate? Ha ha, ya, pretty stuffed here.

I'd just like you all to know that I had no idea that you thought so much of me. I've probably read through this giant card three or four times now and I can't help but smile. Thank you for being so wonderful to me, you guys really didn't have to do anything but I am extremely grateful and indebted to you.

For all of the Facebook status tags and 101 + birthday wishes (some didn't show up on this ridiculously long list of all of you, 91 others, what?) I am also extremely grateful, be expecting replies to all of those very soon. I am very excited to write back to all of my wonderful friends. It was extremely exciting to listen to my phone vibrate all day after receiving text after text from Facebook. And you all just wanted to wish me a Happy Birthday! So thank you everyone.