18 years old

my 18th birthday has come and gone and with it it brought yellow punch buggie pinyatas, lip staining sloppy joes, scrapbook pages created by the hands of the most beautiful girls i have ever seen, poems from my mother that made me cry and want to cradle my 18 year old body in her arms again, singing cards promising tropical vacations from this bland Ohio landscape, tye die balloons screaming GROOVY, pictures with ancient nuns who smile with their eyes and prefer dogs over children, and sweet smelling vintage perfume that will be the scent wrapped around my wrists the first days that i walk into this new college world.
i was nervous when you gushed about the scavenger hunt and Get To Know Mallory games my friends would be playing but you gave me the best birthday party ever in our magical backyard and made me rememmber that i'm never too old to bask in all my innocence. After all, I'm only 18
I have my whole life to grow up.
I clapped my hands when i saw that tree trunk you personalized just for me. our initials carved into the thick wood look like they've been there forever and smile at me every morning when the sun rises and shines it's jubilant light on those letters. MD+MM, and a jagged heart enclosing us together. The best birthday present you could've given me and it cost NOTHING.