My birthday

Thirty-five seems like a rather big birthday. I mean, at thirty you're just barely out of your twenties so that's obviously still young. Thirty-five is, like, solidly mid-thirties (hurdling toward forty)...which, honestly, is starting to sound young still. So perhaps it's not that significant after all. 

Andrew and the kids gave me plenty of time to rest today, which they're really pretty good about most days. They say they're trying to make up to me for waking me up every two hours for a solid 10+ years but honestly I think they just want screen time. Either way I get a nap so I don't mind. 

Rachel did a lot of work behind the scenes to make today special. She baked me a cake on Saturday, completely from scratch, and it smelled so good, so we were all excited to get to eat it today. 

She originally wrote "HARPY BIRTHDAY" on the cake but scraped off that extra leg on the p. I think it was a genuine mistake and not a Freudian slip. At least, that's my hope.

The flowers are courtesy of my friend Tena, who works in primary activities with me. We had to meet on Sunday so I could get the rest of the primary booklets to her to distribute and she surprised me with these beautiful hydrangeas. They were a little bit wilted because they're delicate blossoms (she just clipped them off her bush before she left her house) so she suggested that I dip them in boiling water when I got home. "Look it up," she said. "I haven't tried it, but I've heard..." So when I got home I looked it up and it's true! You just re-cut the ends of the stems and hold them in boiling water for about thirty seconds and then stick them in a fresh vase of water. They perked right up! 

Anyway, Rachel thought the flowers perfectly complemented the cake. Together they made a very beautiful table. And the cake was delicious.

Rachel also, at Andrew's behest (he was working all day), helped the kids write on balloons for the birthday tree.



Alexander dictated, "I love Mommy because she is nice and says good dreams and makes me happy. Goodnight dreams."

Zoë wrote, "I love Mom because she lovse me," and "I love Mom because she is pashit," which was her very noble attempt to sound out the word patient.

Benjamin wrote, "I like Mom because she is nice and she helps me," and "Mom helps me through hard times."

Miriam wrote, "Mom, you are so awesome! I love you because you are smart, you write really well, and you are kind."

Rachel wrote, "Happy Birthday Mom! I love you so much! You are so patient with all of us (even though we are (as Alex would say) crazy maniacs sometimes)."

Andrew wrote, "I love Mommy because she always thinks of others and cares about everyone—and she's an amazingly fun person!"

They wrote me a song (sung to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb): Mommy is the best person, best person, best person. Mommy is the best person the world has ever know."

And, naturally, there is a balloon with an acrostic on it: Magnificent Oh...AWESOME Marvelous.

It was a wonderful surprise to wake up to!

I also got a card from my parents (Josie signed it, too), Zoë and Alexander drew me a bunch of pictures, and Benjamin made me some perler bead doodads. Zoë's letter was the cherry on top of my birthday Mondae. 

It says, "Hi mom, I love you. This is Zoë! And what I need to tell you is that I love, love, love you. Happy Birthday Dear Mom!" It was a beautiful day!