From Dragonfly: A Different Sort of Birthday

I don't generally have terrific birthdays. Last year, I was taking my comprehensive exams, the year prior, I had torn my ACL two days earlier, then there's the bday that my first love broke up with me or the birthday where there was a blizzard... It really doesn't matter. It's just one day - there are 364 other days (and sometimes 365 in a leap year) to make up for a bday gone bad.

My birthday this year, actually, does not rank on the bottom of my birthday list. I started the day being woken before 6am with the announcement, "you must move your rooms before 8:45am" - about 300 people had to move from two units (switching rooms) and the first carts pulled up in front of my room by 6:15am. This rude awakening was then followed by various people screaming at each other, a very limited supply of moving carts, and people running in all directions. I just slowly picked up my mattress with Lola and we carried it to the other unit. It's light, and it got us just for a moment away from the chaos of our own rooms. We set up a couple chairs to put everything on (leaning against the staircase) and South kept close watch. We continued to slowly get our things from 1 South to 1 North. People were constantly saying something or another was coming up missing. It was a lot of people to move at once, and yet, two hours later, almost everyone was in their new rooms, settled, and even unpacked (it's taking 3' worth of items that fit in one locker, a bed and bed set, and laundry, and moving it to another 3' locker, bed, etc.). The chaos was finally over in total after 10am count and we waited to be called for lunch. Meanwhile, people were wishing me birthday wishes and my friends were giving me birthday hugs. I'd, also, started receiving bday cards/gifts from people on the outside the prior Friday. We have no mail on the weekend or holiday. So, I had to look forward to mail going forward, as people's letters and cards caught up with me through this week.

Lunch was brunch food and then it was bday party time. My friends had made a wonderful cheesecake, with m&m's and other goodies throughout. All I can say is "yummmmmm!" They also made me a wonderful gift. Ironic in many ways, it is a plastic mug with 'Dragonfly Hazel' written beautifully on it with a dragonfly with hazel eyes drawn. It was a weekend where I had thought about stopping writing, and this gift was a sign to keep on going. I nearly cried.

Dinner was a fried chicken, due to the MLK holiday, so that was considered a treat. There was a cake dessert. I told everyone that they baked a cake in honor of me. Hah! Actually, I didn't like the cake, although the frosting was good. I really didn't like the chicken much either. I'm very picky - although prison is making me less so.

I sat with my friends that night. We were all exhausted do to our move and all the sunshine we were able to get during the day (it was beautiful and in the high 60's). We laughed, I started a new craft project, and my day was over. For a birthday in prison, I feel more grateful than anyone can imagine. My friends at home and my friends here, all took a moment of their day to be there with me - either in thought or person. I think this should actually go on the list of one of my better birthdays!!!