37th birthdays aren't so bad either. :)

I turned 37 years old on Sunday. THIRTY-SEVEN, y'all. Cripes. I guess I can no longer claim that I'm in my mid-30's. Oh well. I'm pretty sure the extra year doesn't show too much.

This year, my birthday was celebrated on multiple days. Who doesn't love the idea of being celebrated for pretty much an entire weekend?

Friday evening, I got to go on a dinner out with "the girls." My cousins, Julie and Robin, were headed to the Kansas City airport (on their way to Boston to teach some painting classes! so awesome!) Because they love me so much, they stopped in Topeka and kidnapped me for a meal out... sans hubby and kids. I loved every minute of it. Truly. I did not have a sippy cup stowed in my purse. I didn't cut anyone's meat or tell anyone to pipe down. I didn't have to shoot a mommy look at anyone. AWESOME.

While out to dinner, we got to do soooooo much talking. I was able to open up about my illness... something that we've never really talked about before. It made me feel so loved. Two people that I absolutely adore were listening to all of my psychosis and providing an enormous amount of support. It was exactly what I needed at exactly the right time. (Love you, ladies!) And dinner was really, REALLY good.

Saturday, the focus was on Carter. I didn't mind a bit. As I said before, he had such a good day. There was lots of happy to be had!

Sunday was lovely. I got breakfast in bed with one of my very favorites: a cinnamon roll with toasted coconut on top. (It's okay that you're jealous.) I didn't leave the bed until after 10 am. And when I did, everyone was on their best behavior. While the big kids babysat Ella and Charlie, Rhett and I went over to Target so that I could spend a good bit of my birthday cash. I stocked up on my usual "uniform" of t-shirts in several colors. I found a little light grey jacket thing-ie that is ADORABLE. I even found the perfect pair of little grey flats that I've been searching for forever. Can I tell you how nice it is to shop with a husband who just wants you to be happy and has endless amounts of patience? It's crazy nice. (I love you, Rhettly.)

The only hiccup in my day was dinner. We went to On the Border because I was craving fish tacos. It did not go well. In fact, it was so bad that they comped our entire meal (all 6 of us!), I didn't get to eat my dinner at all (but got it in a "to go" box), and I left with a burn on my hand. Note to restaurants: when you give someone something completely inedible, insist that this patron MUST talk to a manager before she gets edible food, eventually realize that the manager is refusing to come to the table, try much later to fix it by resubmitting her order, give her an order that isn't right, then return to the birthday girl's table with a screaming hot plate and hand it to her as if it's room temperature, you're going to make her cry. And she will never be back no matter how much money you take off the bill. Ever. *sigh* At least the burn on my hand was only a little swollen and didn't blister up much. And I eventually DID get to eat the food. And even better, it was edible the second time around. So, there's all that to be glad about.

We came home, I collected myself, and we had a nice evening as a family. There was Oreo mint ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. *swoon* I got lovely cards. Rhett and the kids gave me some perfume that I've had my eye on forever and an OXO herb mill that I cannot wait to use! (I love, love, LOVE fresh herbs but hate chopping them.) I got the chance to snuggle up on the couch with my very favorite person in the whole wide world (Rhett, I'm lookin' at YOU.) And by the end of the evening, the ugly birthday dinner was a distant memory, replaced by feeling happy and loved.

As we were getting ready to go to bed, Rhett handed me my iPod and said, "Check your playlists." So I did. There was a special playlist labeled "Happy Birthday." It contained the new Mumford & Sons CD. I love them so much! *squeal* So, while getting ready for bed, I got to listen to this:



I love this song. Let love grow, indeed.

Not a terrible way to spend a birthday, huh? :)

PS... There are no birthday-girl-with-the-cake pictures because I am Chief Officer of all Things Photograph at our house. And we just kinda forgot because we really wanted to DIG IN to that crazy yum cake! Oh well. For year 38, there will be pictures!