a birthday redeemed

Today is my 32nd birthday. AND I CANNOT BELIEVE I'M SO OLD!

Truly, I can't imagine where my twenties went. What have I been doing? Where has half my life gone?

Yesterday Manny and I both had the day off work. So after my Bible study at church and his taking Elijah to the doctor for a check-up, we had the afternoon together.

A quick aside: Elijah's dr. visit went fine. He's healthy and perfect, 31.5 pounds, 38 inches (which is 60th percentile). The doctor made several comments about him being way above average intelligence wise. So that's cool. She gave him 2 books and asked if he wanted to be a neurosurgeon when he grows up because he's smart enough to be one. Yeah buddy! Set lofty goals and support Mommy and Daddy's retirement fund!! :)

Anyway, my mom offered to watch the boys so Manny and I could enjoy an evening out. That hasn't happened in forever! So away we went. We had a YUMMY-licious dinner at an adorable Moroccan cafe on the river in old historic Newburgh. The weather was perfect - right at sunset, warm and breezy. The food was sooo good -the curry was to die for! The location was ideal - quaint outdoor cafe setting surrounded by gardens , a brick patio underfoot, lit by twinkling white lights and colorful lanterns. And most importantly the company was sweet - Manny and I don't get enough time together like that.

After stuffing ourselves on Tandoori chicken, beef ka bobs with dill yogurt sauce, and zucchini cakes, we headed to a bookstore to pick up my birthday gift. (A book about photography that I've been wanting.) We capped off the night with a decaf Americano from star.bucks and made our way back home in time for me to feed the baby.

As another sweet surprise I came home yesterday afternoon to find that my mom had decorated my back porch with a card, the world's most gigantic yellow mum, a variety of pumpkins, a fresh bouquet of flowers, and a little scarecrow with a happy birthday sign around his neck.

So now I'm about to leave work and spend my birthday afternoon with my favorite boys! It seems that the string of horrible birthdays I've had over the past several years has finally come to an end. I haven't even cried once.

P.S. Yesterday as I was hanging laundry out on the line I reached into the basket to find a SNAKE had slithered in between the holes of the basket and was hanging out among the wet clothes! I almost puked on the spot. I felt so violated and grossed out! I get the heebie-jeebies every time I think about it! A snake, people! A real live SNAKE... IN MY LAUNDRY BASKET!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!!