Birthdays are an awkward thing for someone who doesn’t like too much attention.  I love my birthday, so it’s not a weird psychological issue where I had a bad experience in the past.  I just don’t like a group of coworkers standing around my desk singing Happy Birthday.  Everyone stares at you and you feel pressured to make some funny reaction.  I think people have finally figured me out and it feels amazing.

I woke up this morning to a few text messages from my best friends who aren’t going to be in town this weekend.  My team at work made a cake for all the May birthdays and decorated my desk with a birthday theme, but no song and dance.  My boss gave Justin & me a $25 Caribou gift card which will be gone in a few days 🙂  My dad sent me a weather report from the day I was actually born since it’s rainy and yucky out today.  My mom called right away to check on my plans for the day and wish me a Happy Birthday.  My husband bought me a hanging basket and the sweetest card ever.  I visited my two favorite dogs over my lunch and had a BEAUTIFUL bouquet of flowers waiting at my door from Anna & Aaron. I am SUCH a lucky girl.

We are celebrating a few birthdays tonight at Happy Hour with a few friends.  It will be low-key and I can look forward to laughing non-stop.  Justin & I are also doing a day drinking pub crawl down West Seventh on Saturday with whichever friends decide to tag along.  There are so many good patios/bars on West Seventh and it’s so close to home.
All of this love has been so wonderful to be on the receiving end of.  I have had a crazy week dealing with some family things and have been trying to give as much love as I possibly can to some very special children.  I felt so tired last night after three days of chaos.  After this lovely morning, I feel so refreshed and I know that I have so much more to give now because everyone deserves to feel loved and appreciated.  Children pick up on so many things and it is so important to hug them and tell them every day how amazing and awesome they are.  I have the best family ever.  They are so supportive and loving and crazy.  My aunt is currently working towards sainthood, especially since she hasn’t had one extra moment to become refreshed.  It’s one of those weeks where I feel that my Grandma Hauer is pushing us all in a certain direction.
We all know she has her halo on and helps us out all the time.  I am nervous for the future, but confident in the love and abilities of my family.  Courage & bravery has been so important in the last few days and doing the right thing is not always easy.  I am forever in awe of the people surrounding me.
This week I have a lot to cheers to.  Cheers to my mom & dad for raising me to appreciate.  Cheers to my brother for just being himself all the time – it’s nice to have consistency.  Cheers to my husband for growing with me and buying me pink flowers that are going to look beautiful in my backyard.  Cheers to my in-laws who have been the BEST new family for me – having sisters is a blast, my nieces provide constant amusement & giggles and my other mother & father have taught me lots and shown me the same love they show their own children which makes me feel amazingly lucky.  Cheers to the rest of my family and all my friends for just being purely awesome.
Happy birthday to me 🙂  I am one lucky girl.
P.S. I now have exactly 3 years to complete everything else on my 30 before 30 list… uh oh.