Birthdays are meant to be celebrated. So on the twenty-fourth of June, my third-born's big day, we hung up the Streicher Family Official Birthday Banner,
cooked her favorite dinner of chicken enchiladas,
and enjoyed her favorite chocolate cake.
Meanwhile, the birthday girl herself was reveling in a South Korean celebration. She's been living in Seoul for sixteen months now, teaching English to kindergartners in bougie Gangnam, making friends, learning to speak Korean, and eating her way around the city.
Never fear; my birthday gift was delivered by a visiting sister in May, along with half a homemade carrot cake. I also sent along some money with a secret message to her boyfriend to fund a birthday bouquet from mommy. And when she comes home for a visit in July, we will celebrate this birthday all over again.
Interestingly, my daughter mentioned to me that South Koreans, much like the Vietnamese and presumably other Asian cultures, do not make a big fuss over birthdays. And I understand that. The typical American princess-for-the-day mentality is a tad indulgent and almost a cliche of our over-the-top culture.
But to me, a birthday is a celebration of life. And while they may not be the queens of the universe, I am profoundly grateful for my daughters' lives and that is why I am happy to celebrate my third-born's birthday all summer long.
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