Next in line in birthday season...

ME! And, as usual, I feel old and washed up for all the days between Sarah's and my birthdays. BUT, the weather is so gorgeous! This is the weather that always makes me feel birthday-ish. And like going to the beach. If my car wasn't busted, I'd be driving there tomorrow with Gabe while the girls are at school. Not that the girls would EVER forgive me for that.

We used to go to the beach for my birthday every year. I'm talking about after I got married. I just love to be there. It feels hopeful and peaceful and fun and full of expectation all at once. Food is better there, too. Beach Cheetos are infinitely better than Cheetos anywhere else. Beach grape soda is so much more thirst-quenching than anywhere else grape soda.

I've always loved my birthday. Always always. As much as I hated and despised and loathed college, I loved my birthdays at college. I love my friends for pulling stuff together for me and coming to visit me. Same as high school. My friends really went all out and brought cakes and stuff for me. I'd like to re-thank them all now - that was awesome, y'all!

And now birthdays with kids are awesome because kids just think birthdays are so magical. They are as excited on my birthday as they are on their own birthdays. They giggle and hug and smile all day. Totally fantastic.

I have no idea if I'll plan anything for my birthday. It's the one day I can go to whatever crappy movie I think looks good ("Little Red Riding Hood" this year) and Andy doesn't mind. At least he doesn't show that he minds. But movies ain't my fave, so it will just come down to whatever I feel like doing right that second.