Tonight, my 7 (almost 8) year old daughter asked me to start a countdown to her birthday. She can't wait for her big day next month. I totally get it; I remember feeling the same way when I was her age. My birthday was the highlight of my year. The presents, the attention, the cake; it was all so exciting.

One of my favorite parts of "my" day was dinner. My mom would always let me choose my favorite meal and would make it, no questions asked, even if it contained little to no vegetables.

As I've gotten older, birthdays have changed. Most years it feels like any other day with some extra Facebook messages and texts thrown in. It's still a sweet day but in a much less obvious way.

Recently, I've started a fun tradition with a dear friend to make our birthdays even more special. Instead of giving each other a traditional birthday gift, we take each other a meal during our birthday week. It is something I really look forward to! It reminds me of those treasured birthday meals from my youth AND gives me a nice break from cooking for my family. It's a treat for me to receive it and a blessing to do it for her each year; I know how much I enjoy it and know she does too.

Sometimes a simple meal is the best present to give and receive!