My Birthday

We are not big birthday people.  I have very low expectations for birthdays because it's easier that way.  Maybe that's depressing, but I choose to think otherwise.  I choose to see it as simplifying and I love simplifying!  That being said, I had the best birthday ever this year!  (And I am really learning to try and purposefully make things special in valuable ways.)  We've lived here long enough that I have developed really good friendships with people here and also, I have known the best people throughout my life who have blessed my life in a myriad of ways and whose kind thoughts and messages really contributed to my day being more fantastic than I even dared hope for!

I received two(!!) puzzles in the mail the day before my birthday.  I can't even tell you how exciting that was!  :)  (And, I love donuts!)

 The weather was glorious so I didn't die of heat exhaustion on my walk...always a risk around here.

 Wonderful friends are teaching me how to make things special by giving me flowers (that did perk up after a little while inside...they didn't like the ride home in the hot car) and yummy treats and more...I didn't take another picture of all the things because I felt a little embarrassed.  I was totally spoiled this year.

 I got to eat lunch with all these wonderful people!

Since Camille took the first picture, we took another...and you can see how spoiled I was.  Man, I love these people...and pretty much all of you...anyone who cares to read this blog is pretty darn special to me!  ;)

 I loved ALL my cards!  :)

 We got little cheesecakes (my favorite) for dessert and my boys sang me an adorable rendition of Happy Birthday!  :) 

 And...you might be able to see...I didn't have to cook dinner either.  :)  I had leftovers from my lunch and the boys were more than happy to have fast food.

It may not be that different from the norm, but I did pick the movie...and he let me take a picture. ;) 

 So sorry that it won't let me flip these!  Here's the other awesome puzzle I received.  Seriously...so spoiled!

Then, a few days later I had another lunch so that we could include a great friend who couldn't come to the first one.  ;)  

And then...we went parasailing!  (That happened less than a week ago and the post is coming...but it was technically part of my birthday celebration.)  :)