Needing vs. Wanting

Today is my birthday.

Every single year for as long as I can remember my birthday has passed without fanfare. When I was small having a September birthday stunk. I never really had parties, but when I was able to invite a friend or two over the girls that I had bonded with the previous year in school had grown distant over Summer break and the school year was too new to for this shy kid to forge any friendships worthy of a birthday party invite.

As I got older somehow this just became tradition. It's ok though. I'm actually content to let the day pass as any other normal day, because really, when you get older and you are down reaching those milestone ages of 16, 18, and 21, there's nothing really worth celebrating aside from being another year closer to death. So September 16th, you have my full permission to come and go as you please.

Every year, a few weeks before my actual birthday hits, Mike starts asking me what it is that I want for my birthday. And every single year I give him the same exact answer. "Nothing. I have everything that I need." I'm not the type of girl who can spend money on myself without feeling guilty about it, and that includes when money is spent on me also. So when someone asks me what I want, I come up empty.

Do I need anything? No, not really. Minus maybe a new bra, the under wire in all of mine is starting to poke through the sides. I have everything I could possibly need, an unwavering faith, an amazingly imperfectly perfect husband, 2 of the most wonderful children ever created, a beautiful house, and a comfortable bed to sleep in at night. I'm pretty much set.

But do I want anything? Ahhh, here is the challenge. I have a hard time differentiating between needing and wanting. It's ok to want something. I just have to tell myself that a few times to actually believe it.

It's a bit too late to send Mike out on a shopping spree, but now that my birthday is here I realize that there are things that I do actually want. And that's OK! I decided to do a little late night internet browsing (mostly because I'm a night owl and everyone else is long since asleep).


1. I'm pretty much in love with this pretty fabric from Jennifer Paganelli. Not only is it my favorite color, bright yellow, but the pattern is super kitchy and cheery. I'm craving a yard of this to throw over a table somewhere in the house as a makeshift tablecloth.

2. I need this Down to Earth Dress from Modcloth in my life. If you know my super laid back style, then you'd probably agree that this dress is perfect for me. I'm just sayin'.

3. I'm literally salivating at the thought of a Jello Cake. But not just any Jello Cake will do, my mother in law's Jello Cake with ooodles of Cool Whip icing on top. Mmmmmm it's probably my favorite desert ever ... after Tiramisu and Cheesecake.

4. I spied this lizard ring in an Avon booklet of my mother in-laws about a month ago. It's big, sparkly, and super gaudy, which makes it pretty freaking fabulous if I don't say so myself!

5. Speaking of big giant rings, on the complete opposite side of the spectrum I love this dainty little Libra Ring from elephantine. It's so tiny and perfect.

6. I'm in love with this print from Jessica Swift. It's so perfect and I could see it a million places in our house. I want it!

What about you, do you confuse wanting and needing? Are your birthdays grand affairs or small and special days like mine?