Today, April 1, April Fools’ Day, is my 70th birthday. I was born on Easter Sunday while the church bells were ringing for Sunday services in Roanoke. April Fools’ Day has been on Easter Sunday only four times since 1900. My grandchildren think it’s so funny that my birthday is on April Fools’ Day. My granddaughter says that’s why I’m so funny and why I love to laugh.

In the 1900s April Fools’ Day fell on Easter Sunday four times — 1923, 1934, 1945, and my birth year, 1956. The next time Easter falls on April Fools’ Day will be 2029. Hope I’ll still be bird watching and enjoying the sunsets at age 73…probably through the windows at Shady Oaks. To my friends going with me to Shady Oaks, please pack some bird seeds in your luggage.

My daddy came home from the hospital after my birth to tell my brothers, then four and six years old, that the Easter Bunny had brought them a baby sister. Middle vet brother promptly piped up, “Tell him to take it back. We don’t want it.” Always thought this was a made up tale but oldest brother remembers that Easter morning and hearing middle vet brother complaining. Brotherly love is so special! I love them, all three of them and their families, and they are kind and loving to me. I think, in hindsight, they’re glad the Easter Bunny didn’t take me back to the cabbage patch. Mama didn’t believe I was a girl, either. She was waiting for the doctor to say, “April Fools!” After two boys, I hope they were thrilled with my arrival.

My earliest birthday party memory is when I was about five years old. We dressed up for birthday parties in our Sunday clothes when I was a little girl and I can remember the dress I wore to the party. The dress was baby blue with smocking, featuring a white Peter Pan collar, and a big sash that tied in the back. I wore a tiny wrist corsage of white miniature roses tied on my wrist with blue ribbon, a gift from my mama’s cousin Leita Lane, such a sweet southern lady. My party cake had a little porcelain birthday doll on top wearing a blue dress, too. Sadly, I broke the porcelain doll years ago taking it back to Alex City. Should have left it here safe in the living room secretary. Sometimes, in an old scrapbook, I stumble across that birthday party writeup from The Roanoke Leader’s society pages. Never remember opening my birthday presents till after the guests went home. The party guests always placed the birthday presents in a big wicker basket by the front door.

Being born on April Fools’ Day was no joke. In school, everyone remembered my birthday and reveled in playing tricks on me. In elementary school someone put our schoolroom’s trash can, a tall skinny yarn can from Handley Mills, over my head. Trapped my arms straight down. The teacher came in the room and jerked it off. Course everyone got a good laugh but me. Every time I saw those yarn cans in the mills at Russell Corporation I remembered that embarrassing day.

I was invited out to the Mexican restaurant tonight to have a birthday supper with my niece and her daughter. Little did I know my family had gathered to celebrate with me, a glorious memory forever etched on my heart. I shed a few happy tears as two of my grandchildren and their daddy walked in. My granddaughter handed me a beautiful handwritten birthday note I’ll treasure forever. My family means so much to me and I appreciate them getting together to celebrate with me. Thanks, I love all y’all!

Albert Einstein says it best, “Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life.” “Think of your family today and every day thereafter, don’t let the busy world of today keep you from showing how much you love and appreciate your family,” Josiah.

I love Mark Twain’s quote about April Fools’ Day! “The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year.” Ha, ha! Happy birthday to me!

“A happy family is but an earlier heaven.” — George Bernard Shaw