My Birthday started a day early, even, as my dear friend Lisa sent along a Groovy e-greeting, where she spent hours, apparently, scouring for my face and cropping it just so that I could do this very Groovy Birthday Dance on screen. I was feeling all giggly and shiny happy-like, starting my celebration a day early and all. Everyone should have a two-day birthday, I think!

And then it happened. I actually turned 37. And nothing changed, except that new number I have 366 days to try to remember – or forget – depending on the day. My gray’s didn’t get any grayer, my face didn’t get any wrinklier, so that’s a good thing.

My family greeted me with gifts like it was Christmas morning again. They gathered around me (like I was the tree. heh.) and showered me with wonderful Angels from the Willow Tree collection.

1. From Chickeymonkey, the Angel of Learning. She picked out a beautiful singing card that says I’m a masterpiece in the making. Okay, I’m blubbering right out of the Birthday gate.

2. From Catybug, the Thank You angel. She (very sneakily) holds a bouquet of irises behind her back. “For everything you do for us, Mom”. Continued sniffling and then commenced boogying to the singing card of her choice, “Celebrate”. Yahoo! ::insert boogie here:: Oh and as a sidenote, Quinnie boogied with me several times yesterday while I re-opened the card a half a dozen times. There he is in his boogie-bird pose. He’s a crazy parrot.

3. From my Hubby, the Birthday Girl angel. She’s very small and delicate and pretty. His card, well – he’s a total romantic when he picks out cards. Mush and gush with a little sappy goo on top, but when you close the card it turns into a rock. You know the type? Heh. Men are from Mars. He’s mine though, and you can’t have him.

A little while later, flower people rang the doorbell and brought #4, this really beautiful yellow and purple bouquet from my sister Tommi and her family. It’s in a 6″ square glass vase which makes it short – but it’s so full and smelly and beauuuutiful. Lilies, yellow tea roses and daisies are the primary flowers, and the purple sprigs of idunnowhattheyare are a nice pretty violet.

Then Hubby came home from running errands and brought me #5, the new Maroon 5 CD, It Won’t Be Soon Before Long. Rockin’ CD. Love. Every. Song. And then I realized later that you could listen to the whole CD at their website.

#6 arrived in the mail from my sweet friend Erikie (Erikie! Your blog is broken!), with Hilary on the front it at a desk that is marked “President of the United States” it reads “See? There ARE scarier things than getting older!” and I laughed and giggled like a little girl. Conservatives are a rare breed in the art community, see, so I feel very bound to Erikie, we’re soulmates in the Art world.

I went back to work and turned up the volume on my stereo and was quickly disrupted by pounding on the door. #7 was a total surprise, Orange roses?!? ORANGE?! They’re orange. This gorgeous arrangement is from my favorite Aunt & Uncle, and it made my eyes pop, honestly. We always forget eachother’s birthdays, see, and call eachother a day late and a dollar short -with all the best intentions in the world. She sent flowers. Awwww.

Okay. Back to work for a little while, jamming to my new CD, being all creative. Life is good. Then it’s time to pick up the girls from school, and when I return home I get to work on dinner.

My birthday dinner has always been Lasagna, so since Mom wasn’t here to make it for me, I was left to my own devices. I made some “wicked awesome” lasagna, texas toast garlic & cheese bread. Just like Mom, I made enough for a family of 10. So it made sense then that I gave some of it away to my ravenous pre-teen neighbor boy-slash-son-in-law. When he saw it, his eyes were drooling. I kid you not. Okay it could have been the strong garlic odor in the house, but nah. It just looks that good . It IS that good and I. Pigged. Out. Oh my. Back on track I go today – I don’t even want to see my scale for a week!

Last but certainly not least, the Birthday Cake. My good friend, tolerator and neighbor, Jacque (she stops by every now and again, wave at Jacque! HI JACQUE! I just like to type her name.) baked me a Birthday Cake! Clearly, you can see that I had myself a nice big piece. You can also see that she got totally creative. I don’t think she’d ever made a cake like this before – and holy cannoli I hope she remembers what she did. It was gooey on the bottom, then cakey then saturated gooey cake with more cake on top and then milk chocolate chips and mmmm nuts. Oh my was it GOOD. It was better than good. It was sinful. And that, coming from a Pastor’s Wife, is just wrong, isn’t it? Sinful cake from a Pastor’s Wife? Doesn’t sound right. But DANG I would send you all your own individual piece if I thought I could part with it.

And finally, I sat down after all the gorging was over and I read through my Birthday Wishes. You guys are THE best. I wish for everyone a birthday filled with the friends and wonderful people that I’ve come to know. And you’re all waiting and wondering – who gets the drawing? Well I’ll tell you, every one of you made me smile. One of you, however, made me smile, then sniffle, then tears welled up (a little) and then I ended with a little chuckle. And that comment, this comment from All Adither:

Wishing you a year of dreams fulfilled, hugs returned, sweet compliments whispered, steaming hot beverages on freezing cold days and icy drinks on sweltering afternoons, music that moves you, books that delight you, jeans that fit, blog comments that inspire, bargains on new handbags and always, always perfect health and lots of love.

The wish that moved me. Thank you, All Adither. And Congratulations, too, I’m excited to see what you’d like to have drawn!

Overall, folks, it was a top notch birthday and I have you all to thank. Including the folks who Facebook and Twitter. You kept me smiling, kept me company, and kept me feeling special all day. So here’s a big Groovy Hug, just for you.

 

The End.