The Greatest Card Ever

A few years ago, my college roomate, Melissa, got Nate the best birthday card ever - for a couple reasons. Reason #1: It was to celebrate him turning the big 3-0 and Nate wasn't taking the end of his 20s so well, so this card was perfect for the occasion. It was huge. Not your normal 5x7 card, but an obnoxious 12 x 12 card. It reminded him that no matter how much he tried to ignore it, 30 was staring him in the face. On the front was a scene from the beginning of Star Wars, complete with spaceships, planets and the words, "A long, long time ago..." Then, when you opened the card, the epic theme music blared from the oversized card speaker and it read, "You were born." The music is what really set the tone. It was hilarious, even if it took Nate a few months to appreciate the humor of such a well-played card.

Reason #2: It is the longest lasting card I've ever seen. Most cards are opened, read and quickly discarded. Some cards have staying power - but usually end up in a box or drawer somewhere and disappear for years at at time. This card? It's become a staple in the Bachman house.

Reason #3: It provides endles hours of entertainment for my kids. The reason the card has lasted so long is because Ryan and Lindsey LOVE it. And I'm not just talking about...oh, they like to open it now and then and giggle before getting distracted by another toy. I'm talking about...they will fight an epic Star Wars-worthy battle over whose turn it is to open the card and make the magic music appear.

Ryan calls it his "born book." And gets upset when he can't find it. Lindsey doesn't talk much yet, but I suspect she'd call it her greatest symphony ever. Because I'm pretty sure she thinks she makes the music appear with her super powers. And always claps after it's over to acknowledge her awesome abilities.

Since it's been played over and over for several years now, I often worried about what would happen when the battery finally runs out. Until one day, when I was looking for a birthday card for Ryan's big 0-3 (coincidence??) and there it was. A 5x7 version of the Born Book.

Long live the greatest card ever.