Birthday to Remember

So last weekend I celebrated my 27th birthday in style. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays - naturally- my birthday is just days before it. When I was growing up it was very easy to use it as a great theme for my birthday parties!

This year was extra special. I've lived in NJ for three years now. Next year will mark the longest I've ever lived anywhere since I left Ireland. Moving, as I've mentioned before, is never easy. For military brats it's always about rebuilding and moving to NJ was exactly the same as moving when I was younger.When you're a military brat with other military brats, you can make friends much easier. Being a military brat surrounded by civilians is another challenge. It's harder to break into friendship circles - despite my age.

The first year I lived here I flew back to Michigan to celebrate my birthday. I wanted to be with my friends and at the time I had yet to make one in NJ. The second year was different. By that time, I had switched jobs, had a very close friend and a group of solid friends. I took a leap and stayed in NJ and celebrated in a local town. It was a great night and I remember going home and thinking that I my rebuilding process was starting to work! I could have faith.

Today I am happy to tell you that my friendships here have grown leaps and bounds. I'm happy with them and feel confident that they will last. The past year has helped me realize who I really want as a friend and luckily those friends have felt the same way about me.

So this year for my birthday, I chose again to stay here. . . and throw myself a birthday party. Big step for me. The deal was sweetened when my two BFFs from high school promised to roll in to celebrate - Heather traveling from MI and Amanda from PA. They are pictured below.

Heather made my birthday cake. The front said "Happy Birthday to Melissa."
The back said "Happy Halloween Everyone Else!"

Amanda and I posing in costume! Don't we look great! Yes, I went as a birthday girl!

These girls mean the world to me because they carry my world in them. Sound odd . . . to you probably. These girls lived with me in Japan. Out of my friends, Amanda is the person I've know the longest. These girls are the girls I grew up with. They know what I was like in a world I can never return to. This is why I say that they carry my world in them. When I'm with them, I'm home. Having them join me for my birthday and meet all of my NJ based friends was incredible. And I'll be forever grateful for them flying and driving in from many miles away to be with me. Like old times. Except now it's legal to drink. And we have cooler clothes. And no one speaks Japanese. And we are in NJ. Love you babes and miss you every minute of every day.