37.

yesterday was my birthday.
and it was a day filled with reminders of how much i am loved.
i mean, any time a girl gets three birthday cakes and a homemade peach cobbler, well, that must mean she's something special.

john cooked me a yummy breakfast.
the kids were ornery all day but at least they played together.

my cell phone was beeping every few minutes with birthday wishes from friends, both old and new.
my favorite cousin came over.
my best friend stopped by a gave me two gifts i'd been pining for.

we went to my parents house and my dad wrote me the sweetest card ever.
anna made me a card that says "you are the best mommy, you are the prettiest mommy."
(i think she's just a tad biased and that's ok with me)

a new book and two magazines came in the mail.
josh picked me out simple, pretty flowers.
we made cotton candy.

we went to the farmers market and bought a bushel of peaches.
we all went grocery shopping together and bought $100 on anything that happened to look good.
we came home with hot wings, another cake, seafood salad, cheese curls, pepper jack cheese, stuff to make homemade fettucine alfredo and popsicles.
i let the kids eat cake for dinner because that's what i wanted to eat too.

ben fell asleep on the couch at 5:30 pm and slept until 7:30 this morning.
the older kids stayed up until 11pm.
why not?

we watched tv, i read my book, we laid on the couch, my legs intertwined with my daughter's, and it was blissful.

 
this morning i came downstairs before anyone else was up, and walked around the house.
my eyes were drawn to things i haven't noticed in a while: toys lined up neatly around the bathtub, my favorite coffee cup, freshly sewn pillows, my collections and things i love and need around me here and there...

it was as if reminders were everywhere.

                 look at your WONDERFUL life.
                 SEE IT.
                FEEL IT.
                don't forget the riches given to you.
                be blessed.
                be grateful.
                be HAPPY.

it was a most blessed birhday.
i really truly most definitely believe that 37 is going to be my best year yet.