happy b-day to me.

[mikeofaustin]

In my entire life, I can remember my mother trying to be very supportive when my birthdays happened. As a younger tike, she would do her very best to give us (I have a twin), the best cake that she could afford. She would give us the best gifts that she could get (mostly from church support), and she would take pictures of our b-days. But sometime in my early teens, it stopped. I got too old, and food for the family from one day to the next was more important than a big shin-dig on one day of the year. And I understood that because hunger was always something that I remembered when I was a child.
My mom did the best she could. She 'settled' with men she didn't like, but could provide a roof over our heads, and they did. My mother suffered for us and I love her for it. Especially now that I'm older and am smart enough to realize this.
Christmas was never the get together that big families do once a year, when people fly down from parts of the country and bring there significant other. It was instead a hunt for a house that was dressed up in lights, that we could pass by and appreciate, because we couldn't even afford a Christmas tree.
And as I got older into my teens christmas because more of an avoidance because my step day would get drunk early in the morning and violent if we didn't get 'out of his house'. So when I was old enough to understand the real meaning of christmas, i was outside sitting on the park bench down the road on christmas all to many times waiting for this drunk to go to bed so we too, could sleep when it came that time.

But, It's my birthday in 3 minutes. I remember all that has happened and I choose to remember the good points in my life during the holidays. It has only made me stronger.

Happy birthday Michael. I love you Mom.

[mikeofaustin]

being pour came to me as meaning that this was normal. Everything we did was survival. Powdered milk, when we could have it, was great. Mom turned the other cheek when we dove into the salvation army boxes in the shopping centers to pillage (we kids could fit). I remember spending my childhood days at the town dump while my mom looked for aluminum cans. While I was there, I dug thought the garbage and found toys and such that I brought home with me, when mom allowed me to.
I can remember one christmas when a community church gave our family toys for x-mas. I got a game that was missing everything so it didn't work, but my brother got the 'hungry-hungry-hippo', minus the marbles. We went outside to get gravel rocks as marbles to play with because it didnt' have any marbles, and we had the best time of our lives with that game.

I can remember when my dog 'Chester' (a black lab that was my best friend) had to go because we couldnt' feed him anymore, so we went out in the middle of nowhere, and dumped it off to die. I kicked and screamed and I can still remember looking in the rear view window as my dog chased after us as fast as possible to catch up with us as we left him behind in the car that his best friend was driving away in. Chester was a very good dog.

Everytime I have a birthday, I hate it. I hate it because I remember the past. occasionally my friends try to throw a b-day appreciation, but I have to put the kibosh on that, because my b-day is not something that I like to remember. Its a horrid time of year that I find myself trying to avoid it.

But, Happy birthday Michael, even though you have tears running down your cheeks.

[Tnmountains]

Happy Birthday Mike
Moms are the best. We have to grow up sometimes before we realize all that they did for us. Hope she is still alive and you have a chance to tell her today. I know I could never repay my Mom for all she did for me but she knew that and I still tried.
Hope you enjoy your day and think of the good times behind you and those in front of you. Its good to have a big heart and nothing wrong with the wat you act. It takes a long time to let go of some things but thats ok and you deal with it the best you can. I am the same way on my B-Days but I am trying to change Happy Birthday Man.

TnMountains
P.s mine was on the 16th

[fossis]

Happy Birthday Mike, your experiences can only make you stronger.
I can relate, I was raised by a Step-Dad that was a miserable person, & tried to make everyone else miserable, but because of a 'Loving, caring Mother', I became the person I am today, (she's 90 years old).
I cried myself to sleep many nights, & dreaded to see the next day & having to work with him, it didn't change until I was a teenager , then I stood up for myself, & he 'backed down', then he wondered why I never came to see him when he was an old man,
but you 'get what you give' in life, hang in there.

Fossis.............

[stefen]

I would guess that almost everyone has a story of their lifes experiences, some good and some not so good.

And if we dwell on the negatives, then we let those experiences drag us down.

We need to place a small bag in the backs of our minds and store those memories away so that we are not blinded.

Today is the finest day of our lives...so lets enjoy it.

[Woodland Detectors]

Dang. You made me tear up dude.
Happy B-day

[jeff of pa]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY mikeofaustin !!!!
May This & All Your Birthdays, Be Filled with Treasures!

[url=http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php?url]

[bootybay]

I wish you a very happy bday.. I know and can relate totally to several of the memories you have, but remember, it made you stronger as a person, it also made me not have my own children go thru the horrible memories and lies that I had to endure, which in the end, made me stronger..

It took alot of guts to post your true feelings, my hats off to you for that one.. just remember, we are better now then we were, we know what not to do, and most of all, we remember to treat people as we want to be treated..

god bless ya..

Have a happy birthday and enjoy it.

[mikeofaustin]

Sorry guys. I get a little emotional when I've had a few to many... and add that to dealing with b-days, x-mas and t-day... and pretty much every other holiday for that matter.

Brick walls. It's a good thing. They keep the most valuable goods in the 'keep', and also the horrible monsters from coming out. Although the mortar loosens sometimes when alcohol is involved.

[stefen]

Although the mortar loosens sometimes when alcohol is involved.

Only when the bottle is facing up...

[Unicorn]

A Happy belated Birthday Michael......I feel I should write something very profound because I sense you are feeling abit sad. But I don't honestly know what to say. If it were summer time I would say "go outside and smell the roses". Summer will soon be here, and things always look better in the sunshine.........

U.

[mikeofaustin]

A Happy belated Birthday Michael......I feel I should write something very profound because I sense you are feeling abit sad. But I don't honestly know what to say. If it were summer time I would say "go outside and smell the roses". Summer will soon be here, and things always look better in the sunshine.........

U.

Thanks. The b-day is over with. so Im back to normal. Not more tears. We'll have to wait for next year.

It was a wonderful b-day because I got by without anyone pushing happyness on me.

[PJ in WI]

Hang in there Mike. After what you have been through growing up, I would think you could handle a lot. I hope your mom is still with you because she sounds like one hell of a good women.

[mikeofaustin]

Hang in there Mike. After what you have been through growing up, I would think you could handle a lot. I hope your mom is still with you because she sounds like one hell of a good women.

She actually is. She works on my brothers farm right now, and she could never be happier. She gets milk from the goats (she swears that goats milk is the best), and the eggs is always for breakfast. I don't even know how old my mom is right now, but I can promise you, she'll surprise you because she can get up like a teen.
//I love my mommy... although it's been a few weeks since I contacted her.