Birthdays...

This is not a pity blog.

If feels as if my birthday snuck up on me this year. Usually I am in birthday countdown mode. I learned from my mom that a birthday should be celebrated as a birth MONTH, instead of just a day. There's always birthday dates with girl friends, dinner with my hubby, lunches at school... I typically live it up and celebrate to the max.

This year has been different. I can truly say I don't

want a thing. I was even okay with not celebrating. This year I have been overwhelmed with the truth of how blessed I am. I have been given so much...I am well fed, well loved, well educated, well taken care of... do I really need another silly dress? Or a cute pair of cowboy boots (okay, I wouldn't mind those=) I don't need a thing in this world. I have an amazing husband, a wonderful family, the most fantastic girl-friends a girl could ask for, and of course the two best dogs EVER.

So this year - no gifts... Just time with those who I love more than anything in this world. My parents drove up from Tulsa yesterday with a cake and a delicious dinner in tow. We had a great dinner, walk through the village, laughs by the fire pit in the back yard. (I even taught my mom how to blog) My brother called from India this morning where he is doing a surgery rotation. Today - farmers market if the rain goes away & lunch with my parents & Mat. Tonight Mat and I will hang out with some of our dearest friends and enjoy a Mexican feista and a few margs. This is truly all I want for my birthday...quality time with those I love most in the world. This is my perfect birthday.

So here is to giving birthdays a whole new meaning in our home! Here's to the coming year and giving more than I receive! Hope you have as wonderful a day as we are!