Friday, October 29, 2010

My day.

10/29/1929: arguably one of the worst days recorded in history. Did you know the stock market crashed on October 29th? That's right. Black Tuesday, the beginning of the Great Depression, was the 29th. (I didn't know this until like 6 months ago.)

10/29/1979: arguably one of the best days recorded in history. :) Karen Ella Cottle graced this earth with her presence 50 years later. I like to think I'm the equal-but-opposite force for good in retaliation for that black mark back in the twenties. Ha! I'm so presumptuous.....

I'd like to take a moment to thank all the wonderful people who have made this day great throughout the years. I am sure there is no way I can remember all 31 of them, but I will attempt to highlight a few of the memories:

Thank you to all my childhood friends from those important years of my life who can all claim their status as professional Halloween BINGO players. (Gotta love the ever-present orange and black birthday decor and jack-o-lantern cheese sandwiches.)

Thanks, mom, for all the beyond beautiful cakes with perfect decorations, little collectible figurines (that I still cherish), and sometimes even the bubblegum border. Thank you for countless trips to dancing and hours of loud music. Thank you for teaching me so many vital skills. Thank you for guiding me through tough lessons in loving, forgiving, and enduring. Thank you for being an example of righteousness, generosity, and support.

Thanks, dad, for baptizing me during one of the best last-weekends-in-October in history. What 8 year old wouldn't canonize being baptized, celebrating a birthday, getting her ears pierced, trick-or-treating, and being confirmed all in one 72-hour period?! Seriously. Greatest. Weekend. Ever. Thank you for living your life in such a way that made it cool to be "Mr. Cottle's daughter." Thank you for your willingness to bless not only me, but also my friends at the drop of a hat/any hour of the night. Thank you for being an example of diligence, fairness, and endless hard work.

Thank you to all my siblings for making my 20th birthday WAY better than expected. Frustrated at the vestiges of pending adulthood, I sulked my way into Lee's Marketplace to work all evening on 10/29/99 instead of going to eat/celebrate with the rest of my family at Formosa. The tear duct walls were nearing breaking point when I reached the breakroom...and was greeted by the greatest sight ever! My wonderful mother, anticipating my mood, secretly delivered a huge "birthday cake" of cupcakes that read H-A-P-P-Y B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y K-A-R-E-N-!-!-! in green icing, green balloons, and a sign that read, "Take one, and tell Karen Happy Birthday every time you see her." Words fail.

As if that weren't enough, THEY ALL CAME to Lee's later that night. They brought me Formosa and gifts to open right there, and then they sang (beautifully) to me right there at the cash register. Best. Family. Ever.

Thank you to all my friends and family who made the seemingly impossible task of surviving the rough "growing up" years plausible, memorable, and enjoyable! There are SO MANY of you, I can't even being to try to name you. From the delivered flowers to the surprise parties, from the Ute football field cake with bendy-straw uprights to the BYU blue football helmet on last year's cake, from the endless delightful lunches/dinners to the insanity of a night at the warehouse full of trampolines...

I. Love. You. All of you. You make me...me. :)

And so, here's to many many more. Most definitely off to a good start with the FRIENDS-themed party planned for Sunday evening...

Love you all.

me

(Please, if you have a fond memory of a particular year, include it in a comment! I love having my memory jogged for me. :) )

13 comments:

  1. You had a birthday shout HOORAY! I want to sing to you today! One year older and wiser too! Happy Birthday *CLAP* to you! Hope its an amazing day. I will miss you a lot in the ward. I think you are amazing. I don't know if I have one particular memory with you that I want to share, but I feel like we had a VERY memorable semester in "General Mills" FHE. Thank you for being a part of that. Loves!

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  2. Happy Birthday Ella! I too have fond memories of Halloween Bingo, eating treats while sitting on a quilt in your living room and your mom's amazing food. I always thought it was so cool that you had a Halloween birthday. Love ya! Have a good one.

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  3. Where oh where do I start? HAPPY BIRTHDAY of course..expect a phone call from me today :)

    So first off, I bit your eye in nursery........that is where it started. You were the first friend that I had a sleepover with. I went to your house in 2 grade after the book fair (it is in my journal). We made an awesome chair and blanket hut, watched E.T. and ate M&M's :). You didn't have doritos that night, but many sleepovers later you did.
    We played soccer, did 4-H and danced together.
    The number #53. hehehe
    Window knocking and LOOOOOOOONG chats. Boys are so dumb.
    Birthday parties (I remember your mom had these balloons up by the lights and the lights looked like balloons too.....don't know why I remember this but I do), dances, we even planned where our houses would be in Trenton.....cuz, "We're the girls from TRENTON HILL!"
    We had lots of 4-wheeler rides and went to the train tracks and found 'treasures' for ourselves and made leaf huts. We jumped on the tramp for hours and played whatever we did with the phone was the tree branch. We went to your grandma and grandpa's house and played on the wheelchair......don't know if we were supposed to do that. You had an awesome strawberry shortcake toy box thing that I was jealous of.
    Remember when I liked Nate Williams in 2 grade and you went and asked him if he liked me and came back and said that he didn't like me, but liked you instead?! hehehe
    Now that I am thinking I could probably go on and on and on! Thanks for making my life better :) You're the best and I hope you have a great day because you DESERVE IT!

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  4. oh ya, and remember when we used to meet for swimming lessons at Alsop's.....we rode our bikes.......and we shared tart 'n tiny's? I don't think they even make those anymore :)

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  5. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
    I remember being very jealous about your carebear figurines. In fact, I still am jealous.

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  6. whoa, emotional day. HAHAHAHH! Oh the leaf huts...you mean the ones that were too short to do anything but lie down in? AWESOME. Kell, you reminded me of those all-important jack-o-lantern cheese sandwiches. I think we Trenton girls pretty much perfected the sleepover. The wheelchair!!! Ya, that was "off limits"! :) Nate Williams?!!?! HAHAHAHAHAHAH. Oh my. So funny...

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  7. Karen....HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY MY LOVE!!!! I love you so very much and can't believe that I am so lucky to have your friendship! I am sorry I am late with the b-day wishes.....but please know that I am thinking of you!!
    LOVES,
    ANNA P

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  8. Karen-
    Happy late birthday! I am so glad we are still good friends after all these years! Hope you had a great day!
    Love,
    Talesha

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  9. Happy Belated Birthday!! Some of my favorite memories of you include: nights on your trampoline looking at the stars. The night you drove me home and you hit a bird with the car (Seagull Lane, I believe we called it). You with a mouthful of straws at Village Inn. Cruising Main looking to meet boys jamming out to Spice Girls "people of the world, spice up your life". Just to name a few. I miss you Karen Ella!!

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  10. Um, HOLY WHAT?!!? HI!!!!!!! Dude! You're married with a child?!!?!?!? I must have missed something...like the last 3 years!? Whoa. Well, hi there and thank you! Oh the straws....VI....gotta love the Village. Ha!

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  11. I have so many great memories with you....starting way back in 5th grade when we graced the SV stage singing, "Do-Re-Mi" and "Raindrops on Roses...." I remember sleeping over at your house and having REAL FRESH cow's milk on our cereal (I didn't like it). :) I remember all the boy drama that you'd listen to as I'd complain about "him" and "him" and "him." I remember your beautiful prom dress that was yellow with the princess flowy things off the back. I thought it was the prettiest dress. Thanks for being so wonderful. Happy Birthday dear friend!

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  12. Oh my. I hope people everywhere are as lucky as I am to have such freakin' awesome friends from all times in life.

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