Birthdays are Serious Business.

I'm pretty serious about birthdays.
Actually, I'm serious about finding all the possible reasons to celebrate one day from the next.
We get lost in routines,  and we forget to celebrate the small things that make life so much more enjoyable because it's "not mature" or we "don't have time".
Birthdays are a perfect excuse to live it up.
And so, for my birthday, I dressed up like I was on the set of a glamor shoot. I put on my tiara and my pearls and my six inch heels and the silk and the lace and the likes.  It took me an extra hour to get ready, but I didn't mind. The first time I greeted the world, I was naked. These days I try to make a better impression.

I made myself a delicious, warm, healthy breakfast. I took an extra five minutes to make myself chai tea. I'm the only one who would, anyway- and it's important that we remember to treat ourselves like the special people that we are, when we can. The world is pretty much out to take us down a notch or two, and so often we forget to take care of ourselves. I also made up the bed and left a love note for my husband, because often we're also too busy to take care of those we love. It's so important, for all of us, to take at least one day of the year and remember who we want to be in even the littlest ways. 

I made a delicious and mostly wholesome lunch, substituting nutella for jelly  on my peanut butter sandwich. I packed my water bottle, and then a light load of school books , and then I threw in a new novel for fun because really, you can't study all the time and if there's a single day a year that you should not study- it's your birthday.  I'd rather spend the day seeing the world anew, sitting in the sunshine and laughing with friends.

And so, when I wasn't in class- that's exactly what  I did. I read a book, talked to new friends, drank cappuccino, got a sunburn, and enjoyed the day. Fate conspired to make my life easier  in every direction I stepped, and so I faced no heavy traffic of dismaying  pop quizzes. I heard no bad news, was fortunate to hear  from old friends, and had a cupcake immediately upon returning to my house.
Then my wonderful husband took me out to dinner at a fantastic restaurant, where we had a four course meal and a glass of wine. The restaurant gave me a birthday card, and drew a cake in melted chocolate on my dessert plate, and was just generally in the business of making my night special. 
My honey drew me a picture of a rose during his night shift, and then he presented me with a beautiful box. Inside that box was a white gold and sapphire necklace that he picked out to show his heart was born in September. (admit it, that made you go gushy inside too. I love that kid so much!)


and so, for him and for me, I'm giving myself a year to become the healthiest me that I can be.  It's going to be a great year (and not just because 23 adds together to be 5, and then the 2 adds again to be 7, and then that last 3 goes to 10 which is the twisted way my mind decides that adding once up odd and twice up even is lucky, and doubly so for adding to 7 and needing 3 for the even).

I challenge all of you to have just as great of a year. Pursue your goals, live your dreams, and love as much as you can everyday. Here's to living it up!