birthdays of the holiday variety

favorite quote overheard by a friend that celebrates her birthday on christmas eve:


"yah, i celebrate my birthday with jesus. and wouldn't ya know it, he gets all the hooplah. "


tuesday was the big 33 for me. and tho several kind folks called to sing in my ear, i spent a large portion of the day just a little dumpy. no real particular reason, really. tho busy, i can honestly say this holiday season that i'm happy. tho presents are nice, its never just about what you give or get. i've not yet reached the lying about my age, stage, and as i gave myself permission to linger just a little longer in bed, i admonished my droopy mood with a "you have so much to be thankful for" pep-talk.


usually, i'm that ginormous kid at heart that starts announcing the birthday countdown at day 1 in december. but the fanfare and fun i used to look forward to as a child, somehow doesn't seem to follow you thru adulthood. i think the doldrums were present more-so because i was alone and really didn't know what to do with myself. i thought maybe jason had forgot as i listened to him rustling around in the dark, getting ready for work. then he plopped down beside me on the bed and planted a kiss on my forehead with a rousing rendition of "happy, happy birthday baby". after curling bella's hair for school, she dissapeared in her room and emerged with a homemade card ~ so sweet.


my sister and mom and mother in law called. i went about my day, marking things off my list as i went, and lunch-time found me treating myself to a whopper jr at burger king. i was pitifully envisioning getting home and lighting a birthday candle on top as i pulled up to the pay window and a very chipper clerk asked me how i was doing. i replied with a benign "good. and you?" and he grinned this huge grin, ear-to-ear, spreading his arms wide, and said,


"on top of the world. on top of the world."


something about that made me chuckle, and i drove off, smiling ~ my mood lighter. i picked bella up from school and soon jason was home as well, and we headed off to go visit a good friend and her fiance' and mother, who'd wanted us to drop by before christmas. i'd got/made them all presents and tho a little humble, i was proud of them. it was to be a quick trip and whatever blues may have still been lingering, quickly dissipated as we were greeted at the door with hugs and good conversation, complimented by mugs of coffee with creme brulee, a delightfully unexpected spaghetti dinner, and then lovely, unexpected presents to top it all off, with arms loaded down with tin upon tin of candies and cookies and fudge as we made our goodbyes.


we came home and practiced for bellas play after opening jason and bella's beautiful baby poinsettia they'd hid away, and my herring in wine sauce that i love so much. and then jason and i snuggled in on the couch to watch the finale of "the biggest loser".


it was a beautiful day. and i have to admit, when i snuggled down in bed that night, i felt on top of the world, myself.


today, i'm wrapping up loose ends. finalizing travel arrangements, making my lists and checking them twice. finishing up laundry, getting the house in order, and packing. my hemming and crafty ventures are officially finished, with my sewing machine put up nicely on the shelf. i can finally see my kitchen counters again! bella's school play was yesterday, marking the end to her stage ventures until the new year, but with no video to show for it, as i managed to do something to the video camera. i finally took that pregnancy test i've been hanging on to dear life. and tho my symptoms are still mysteriously very much there, a baby, evidently, is not.

tomorrow, we're off. on a wink and a prayer, with good thoughts for weather to hold ~ at least til we get thru chicago. and with any luck and many, many miracles, my husband and daughter will be experiencing the true meaning of midwestern cold ,and giving out hugs to my family tomorrow night.

i'm so excited. barring delays and lay-overs and weather, i'm so looking forward to christmas this year. we'll be gone a nice little while so i might be scarce around these parts for abit.

but i hope for you that your christmas is truly blessed. that you're able to sit and relax and digest the beauty and miracle of it all. so here's me sending you love and giving you each a christmas squench.

merry christmas, my friends.