The budget was tight but I wasn't sure it mattered. To Anita, it didn't, we know that. She doesn't have much to compare to, so it was all going to be so magical. As the planning began, we started out with one party. This one party quickly changed to two. You see, Anita was so excited about her Birthday, she was telling all her friends in her class about her "Birthday PaarrTay!" In the month of January, she would get in the car from school and say "Mommy, so and so wants to come to my party." As I sat and wondered, how the heck so and so knows about the party, it dawned on me, she was telling everyone and willingly inviting them as well. In lieu of squashing her spirits, we decided to run with it. 
If she was proud enough to invite everyone and not be ashamed of being "Anita" then we were going to honor this and give her two parties. One at the park and one at the house. Explaining to Anita why her parties were on a Friday and Saturday and not on her birthday made Adam and I giggle. As she read her invitations (b/c she's reading now) she just kept saying "the 4th? Mommy, my birthday is on the 2nd." "We know honey, but your party is on the 4th." "Why? My birthday is on the 2nd." Oh how we felt like we were in a comedy scene. A party? A birthday? Weren't they the same? In Anita's eyes, yes, they were.Her countdown to her birthday was bigger than Christmas. She was ecstatic! Everyday she would ask, "is tomorrow February? Is next week my birthday? Is the party this Friday?" It was so cute to watch and hear. How special life must be to have a party all about YOU, when you've never had one. She had been to a few birthday parties already so she kind of knew what to expect ... she was just waiting for her BIG day!
On February 2nd Daddy got Anita up ... as she walked into the bathroom to take a shower, she just stood there with the biggest smile. She radiated! Anita's not a morning person, so this smile said so much. "Happy Birthday sweetheart!" She just kind of skipped, jumped, and grinned ... elated ...elated is a good word to describe what I saw.
I love this little girl. Her heart is sweet. Her mind is intelligent. Her words are so special. She speaks fondly of all those who cross her path. She's thankful for what she had in Ghana and never speaks an ill word. Life might not compare but she just savors all of it.
Her parties were a success. Friends, more friends, family, and more family all showed in support of little Miss. Anita's Birthday. She's 7 now ... and so proud to be 7. With the biggest grin and lots of missing teeth, she is so ELATED to be 7!
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