Feeling Loved

Very loved, in fact, the past few days. Not so much last Monday, when I had this conversation with my intern:

Intern: Oh, I'm not going to be in that day, remember? It's my birthday.
Me: Oh, right. Happy Birthday! That's exciting.
I: (pulling a face) Not really.
M: What? How old are you going to be?
I: 25.
M: What's wrong with 25? I liked 25.
I: Well, it's halfway to 30 - and who wants to be 30?
M: Did you know that Tracie (my co-worker) and I both turn 30 this week?
I: Oh, no (wait for it - no remorse, no apology, no horror that she's just insulted her supervisor...am I way too approachable or what? So I just look at her, and then say a bit more loudly...)
M: Tracie, did you hear that?
Tracie: Yeah (think of that in the same voice as you might say Cool. Neat. Awesome. but not really mean it)

Apparently, my cheeky intern is not aware of this button my mom found:



Although, I'm not really sure what it means. I saw it and interpreted it to mean "Oh good, I still have time...keep going." I think my mom meant it to mean "Congratulations! You've reached perfection." My dad saw it and thought "Well, you better just give it up. If you haven't reached perfection by now, too bad for you."

Life is so amusing. In reaching this birthday, I've felt a bit like I did a few years ago when I watched my first car approach 100,000 miles - I made sure to watch the odometer as it turned, and then I wondered what happens now? Would my car explode? Spontaneously combust? Obviously, none of that happened. This is a bit the same - I've been aware for quite some time that this birthday's been coming, approaching - now it's past. I don't feel that different.

I do feel a bit spoiled. How in the world did I get blessed with such great friends and family and even co-workers who went out of their way to remember my day, to make me feel special, to indulge all those youngest child/center of attention/princess tendencies I generally try to keep pretty well hidden? Thanks to all of you for being in my life, for being so kind to me, and for making this past birthday weekend so fun. Lots of fun things happened, but I only have pictures of the road trip to Austin, courtesy of Magen. And yes, Gena, these are bluebonnets by my birthday. I wish they made it to Michigan for yours as well: