My Biggest Birthday Bash

Last year was one of those milestone birthdays -- I turned 60. My staff surprised me last year with 60 beautiful yellow roses. However, I must admit that this year -- the 61st one -- will hold even more incredible memories. Unbeknownst to me, the entire school was in on a little celebration they called "Guthrie Day." While I was in the "media room" making a long list of announcements from 9:05-9:15 thinking the entire school sat in rapt attention to my every word, all the children and staff members and many parents snuck out the front door, donned Oriole baseball tee-shirts with the name GUTHRIE on the back, and prepared to yell "Happy Birthday" as I walked out the front door.

As I turned toward the front door -- my, the halls were extremely quiet -- I caught my first glimpse of over 600 people on the school lawn dressed alike in GUTHRIE tee-shirts. And, there by the front door was the Oriole Bird -- the major league team mascot -- to hug me and shower me with "bird kisses." A glance over the crowd found Clint right in the middle of it (and he told me he had a meeting to attend Thursday morning!)! I was flabbergasted, and thrilled all at once. After a happy birthday greeting and the happy birthday song, the bird, our school mascot (a kangaroo), and I greeted all our students as they filed back into the school. Parents made cupcakes -- over 650 cupcakes -- so that all the boys and girls could celebrate my birthday with cake during lunch. To all of those parents who baked, thank you, thank you!

What a fun day. The Oriole Organization (MLB) donated over 700 shirts so every single child -- from preK all the way through 5th grade -- went home with a Guthrie tee-shirt. You see, it's not that they know me... it's that the team has a young pitcher, Jeremy Guthrie #46. The shirts actually had HIS name (which is, of course, the same as mine) on them, and were left over from a giveaway night. Thanks to one of our PTA moms who checked, the Orioles donated the shirts for my birthday celebration. Thanks to everyone who had anything to do with this great day! It's definitely the Biggest Birthday Bash I've ever had!