today I am this many

25

The day started out like this.

Chas woke up extra early to make me my requested bday bfast: sausage, eggs, and muffins. (It tasted a lot better than this picture makes it look.) Yum in my tum tum.

The middle of the day went like this:

I went into work for a little bit to lead a child inpatient group,

made a bank deposit

came home, layed down on the bed and felt just a little bit sad for a few brief moments (mostly because I was laying about, all by myself, on my birthday).

Answered my phone just then- sister Rosie was calling.

Cried to Pudge (that's what we call her) about how I wasn't doing anything particularly exciting on my bday right at the moment and

got a little help/perspective when she said, "well, why don't you just come run errands with me and Liz? It's better than just sitting around."

Alright.

Went to the mall with little sisters and listened to Pudge's really bad mixed cd (worse than listening to the radio)- sorry, Pudge, it's true.

Once at the mall to do a return, was reminded why I haven't been to a mall in years. Gross.

Felt immensely grateful for Pudge and Liz's call to rescue me from my deluge of self-pity and weirdness.

Forgot all about being sad, 

and came home to this amazing birthday tribute post written for me by my sister-in-law, Liza. (I seriously have the best in-laws, do I not?)

And the day ended like this:

Chas' present to me. I don't think he was expecting me to start crying when I opened it. I wasn't either. I promise it was a happy cry. One of those I-don't-even-know-why-I'm-crying cries. (I also promise I'm not an emotional crazy person all the time.)

Then we went out to eat a special dinner.

And last, but mos def not least, Chas made me my favorite of favorite-est cookies:

Root beer cookies. When paired with a cold cream soda, I'd throw myself in front of a bus for these guys.

And now I have been alive for a full quarter century.

Hooray!