You Say It's Your Birthday?

It's my birthday, too. Yeah! (And, Unicorn, I know you are thinking of the scene from Sixteen Candles that I am thinking of, right? Right?!) (And CT, how did you remember that it was my b-day?!)

Well, actually, my birthday was yesterday, but still. And it's been a very busy few weeks, and I was feeling all sorry for myself because I had so much work to do and couldn't relax on my birthday.

But then something happened. I let go of the idea of trying to leave work early yesterday, and I stayed and got stuff done. And because I'd been working so hard during the first part of the week to try to be able to leave early yesterday, when I did, in fact, stay, I was actually able to get sort of caught up. And I felt productive--like I was doing things that will help the college and my students. And it felt kind of like a good birthday thing to feel useful in the world. And then, I realized that I'm kind of caught up with grading, too, and then I started to feel truly buoyant!

Suddenly, it the stress and self-pity cleared in a way that I wasn't expecting. I suddenly wasn't so overwhelmed any more or so busy, and I totally was not expecting that. Happy Birthday to me!

Other happy birthday occurrences:

• The bay near my house was full and beautiful.
• My iPod suddenly worked again in my car when it hadn't been.
• My daughter danced at a little Halloween event in front of a grocery store, and she had fun and she looked great in her ghost costume.
• Hubby, the kids, my parents and I gathered at my house for take-out Mexican food.
• Hubby made his truly awesome margaritas.
• My mom gave me a painting that I had admired at a recent art show (painted by one of her friends).
• Hubby tidied the house and made everything look great before I got home.
• Hubby update my cell phone, so now I have a phone that, while not smart, is much cleverer that my previous 4-year old flip phone).
  
• And he got me a really pretty bracelet!
  
• The Boy's Grow-A-Frog tadpole arrived in the mail (which wasn't for me, but which made for a very happy Boy).
• I did not have to do any work last night, and I got to listen to the children do their reading.
• Hubby and I both dozed on the couch during an episode of Bones.

All in all, I'd say it was an excellent day.