yesterday was my birthday

these two little misters are my forever birthday present. building snowmen with these two little misters was my present this year.

so proud of their creations.

there's that tongue again. apparently he is having a hard time extrolling himself.

after coming in from playing outdoors the boys helped me make my next birthday present - gluten free cupcakes. harrison was thoughtful enough to make an amendment to my previous declaration:

he wrote "mommy's birthday tomorrow". you better believe i used that special birthday caveat and enjoyed a cupcake.

or three.

hey, if it's wrong to have sugar on your birthday then i don't want to be right.

while the cupcakes were baking i snapped two more photos of the tulips jeremy bought me as an early birthday gift. they have stretched and bent and grown so much the arrangements are nearly two feet wide. they smell even better than they look.

 

i've had some really fun birthday parties over the years. i remember going to the bowling alley for my birthday in elementary school. and the sleep over parties were a blast. i've been the recipient of a couple surprise parties - i'll never forget the champagne toast at my 21st. and there was one special st. patrick's day-themed party, my 24th i believe, where the invitees couldn't get in unless they donned a shamrock tattoo. everyone wrote wishes for me on a large rock that symbolized the blarney stone. (which i've have the good fortune to actually kiss! did you know you have to lie on your back, hang your head and shoulders backward off the edge a castle to reach it? it's a once in a lifetime memory). i still have that birthday blarney stone.

it's safe to say i'm growing up. not because of the sciatic nerve pain and fear of driving at night (yes i do feel geriatric most of the time. why do you ask?) but because, now, parties are just not as important. or i should say being the one celebrated is not as important. being with my people is. celebrating them is. cherishing our life is. acknowledging another year together is.

i am deeply, richly, unfathomably blessed.

and that's the best birthday gift in the world.

in that light, the boys and i dropped in on some friends yesterday. we took them a present. giving someone else a gift on my birthday? not that will be a very special memory for many birthdays to come!