Birthday Guest: Crystal Marie

Please welcome my birthday guest - Crystal Marie!

“SURPRISE!!!”

I quickly jumped back and almost ran out the door when everyone started shouting at me.  I couldn’t figure out what was going on, and to be perfectly honest, the yelling was starting to bug me.

“Happy birthday to youuuuuuuuuuuu!  Happy birthday to youuuuuuuuuu!”

Once the singing started, I ducked my head, because let’s be honest, they can’t really sing that well.  None of them could carry a tune in a bucket if their life depended on it.  But that doesn’t stop them from singing some more.

“Happy birthday to youuuuuuuuuuuu!”

Wait…

They were all looking at me while they were attempting to sing, and so I looked behind me to see if anyone was standing there.  Nope, I was by myself. 

Wait a minute…

Is it MY birthday?  No, it can’t be my birthday, wouldn’t I have known that it was coming up?

I stood there looking at everyone trying to smile at them while at the same time I was doing the math in my head.  Carry the 4, drop the 17…What am I trying to do? I don’t know this common core math stuff!

And then it hit me, all the weird things that have been going on all day seemed to suddenly make sense.

**Flashback 12 hours ago**

The really nice breakfast that my mom had made me… scrambled eggs with some chicken thrown in them. (My all-time favorite food of course.)

**Flashback 8 hours ago**

My dad bringing me home a cheeseburger for lunch, that I didn’t have to share and he let me eat it all myself without trying to steal any of it. (Which is a big deal here, Daddy always tries to steal some of your good food.)

**Flashback 4 hours ago**

AND THEN I got steak for dinner.  I never get steak for dinner!  (It was also awesome in case you’re wondering.)

**Flashback present time**

I was still standing there while everyone was looking at me, and then I realized that it more than likely was my birthday.  And I figured there was no problem in celebrating it because even if they were wrong, who is going to argue with a free party?

Wait… are those gifts?? 

And the free gifts.  I mean come on, you have to be crazy to say, “Oh no thanks, I’m not in the mood to party tonight”.  My mama didn’t raise an idiot.  Well she did but he’s in Alaska!  (Oh yeah I totally said that.)

I was trying to remember the last birthday party that I had, and to be honest, I couldn’t.  I don’t think that I’ve ever had a birthday before. I mean, I know logically that I should have because I was born, but I’ve never had a party before.

Wait, before you get all huffy at my mom and dad, you should know that I was adopted.  And this is, I guess, my first birthday with them.  My old mom and dad weren’t super nice to me, even though I tried my best to make them happy with me, it seemed like nothing I could ever do was good enough.  They would yell and scream at me, and would even ground me without my supper. 

But I didn’t realize how mean they were until after my new mom and dad adopted me.  How nice it was to have a real bed to sleep in, and not just sleeping on the floor.  To have so much food that I would never go hungry again.  Even though there were times when we had to go shopping because I was eating so much.  (Hey, curves are awesome! I don’t care what anyone says, everyone wants curves!)

After I moved in with my new family, I realized how lucky I was to be there.  All the love and food that I could ever want, and it was all within my reach.  Things were finally looking up for me.  Oh, and did I mention that I get to take hot baths now?  Not just cold ones?  Hot baths are HEAVEN!  Seriously, you should try one sometime!

“Ummmmm why are you all looking at me like that?” I asked, because that’s when I realized that everyone was standing there looking at me like I had lost my mind.

“Whatcha doing?” asked my brother.  (Because yes, I now have 3 brothers and 5 sisters! I know it’s awesome!) “Why aren’t you going to get your cake?”

“What cake? What are you talking about?”

That’s when Dad looked at me and with a sad look on his face he replies, “I don’t think he knows what to do. I don’t think he’s ever had a birthday party before.”

Wait a minute… I’m supposed to do something?  Wait, what am I supposed to do? I’m so confused!

I didn’t have any time to really focus on one thought before Dad picked me up and carried me into the kitchen and there on the counter was a huge birthday cake that had writing on it.

I tilted my head to side trying to understand the strange squiggles that were on top of it, but to be honest, I was more excited about the cake than anything.

Out of the corner of my eye I catch a bright flash and that’s when I realize that mom is taking a picture of me and my daddy.  So of course, I put on a huge cheesy grin and tilt my head to the side so that she can get my good side. 

Dad poked me in the side, and when I looked at him he pointed at the cake.  “Look at what it says.”

I tried my best to understand what he was talking about, but I just couldn’t.  I looked at him trying to figure out what he wanted me to know, but I couldn’t read his mind.  I didn’t know what to do!

“It says, ‘Happy Birthday Issac’.”

**Person who wrote this note** (Because I’m really NOT an author, I’m just a blogger but still!)

Issac is a dog that my parents and I adopted/rescued but in turn he ended up adopting us.  When we first got him, it was really touch and go for a while because his previous owners had beaten and abused him. Since we have been adopted by him, he is a completely different dog than from when we first got him. He has never yet met a stranger, and he is constantly ready for cuddles on the couch and of course naptime.

Crystal Marie

Crystal Marie is the founder of Crystal’s Many Reviewers, a cross-genre review site that has a number of reviewers on staff. Formed in March of 2013, Crystal’s Many Reviewers has successfully stayed afloat these past years by giving honest reviews for the readers.

The Reviewers at the website review a variety of different genres, and are always willing to give a new genre, and author, a chance. Known for being honest in their reviews, Crystal’s Many Reviewers stays busy with many different authors and publishers that they work with.

Crystal Marie not only runs Crystal’s Many Reviewers, but also a small editing company called Little House of Edits, where she provides edits for Indie/Self-Pub authors at reasonable rates.

Crystal's Many Reviewers

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