Hello, Moth Family. Have you listened to our new podcast, Grown Yet?

Grown, that's GR-O-W-N, is a podcast filled with true stories all about the joys and pains of

growing up. Listen with a young person in your life, or by yourself to hear Moth Stories,

Storyteller interviews, and audio diaries from young voices that tackle family dynamics,

heartbreak, culture, mental health, and so much more. If you love listening to Moth Stories,

then share Grown with a young person in your life. Find it by searching GR-O-W-N on all major

podcast platforms. Welcome to the Moth Podcast. I'm Kate Tellers, your host for this episode.

I am known as someone who is, to put it mildly, not chill about birthdays. I live by the words of

Emily Salgers. If we ever leave a legacy, it's that we loved each other well. In my eyes,

one more trip around the sun is a great reason to show love to the special people in my life.

A few years ago, I decided to do this by making my husband a photographer, a cake in the shape of

a camera. It should be noted that I don't bake, or really assemble anything in the kitchen,

or have any patience. So, after texting my sister incessantly, things in all caps like,

how to make icing pitch black, I emerged from our tiny kitchen victorious and set my masterpiece

on the table. One guest confused, yelled, a tank! But I'd like to believe that my loving sentiment

rang true. But let's be honest, how often does a birthday celebration go exactly as planned?

First up is Sheila Kavanaugh, who told this at a Boston Story slam in 2022, where the theme of the

night was, appropriately, birthdays. Here's Sheila Lies.

Thank you so much.

I'm 18 years old. It's June following my freshman year in college, and I have a new-ish boyfriend.

I'm still discerning whether or not I like him in the phone rings.

And he said, what are you doing on Saturday June 23rd? And I said, I'm free. And he said,

...