My birthday was AWESOME!  It was probably the best birthday I’ve had in years.  I had so much fun. (Thanks lili and Mallaidh for the birthday wishes!)

Yesterday morning, my coworker and friend, Elizabeth, called me at 7 a.m. to wish me a happy birthday.

“Hello?” I answer groggily (even though I had already been up for over an hour).  My theory is if work calls, answer as if they’ve just woken you up.  It gives you an excuse for not remembering things.  Whee!
“Dawn?  Are you awake?  You said you always wake up early.”
“Ummmmm….” me, thinking fast.
“Yeah…I was asleep but it’s cool.  What’s up?”
“I wanted to wish you a happy birthday!”
“Oh…thanks!  How cool of you!”  I’m smiling now.  She remembered.  Very cool.

We talked a bit more, confirmed our plans for later, and hung up.

Jonathan sent me an e-mail and then made a post to a place we frequent online.  I’m not sure he even understands how much it meant to me that he took the time to do both of those things AND remembered my birthday.

I get an e-mail from miss cathelin and an e-mail from an old friend, Steve, whose birthday is also on the same day (he turned 40).  Both make me smile.

I’m so used to being forgotten and  important people in my life remembered me before 10 a.m.

My brother, Todd, called to wish me a happy birthday.  We talked for a bit.  I nearly started crying when I told him thank you for remembering and taking time out of his day to call me.

I went over to pick up Willow for our Friday playdate.  Shadow is rushing out to empty the trash before Justice’s speech therapist shows up.

“Uhhh…happy birthday!”

I chuckle.  “Thanks.”  I proceed into the house where my beautiful girl looks like she’s been run over by a truck.  She has a fever and a pretty bad headache.  Sometimes she’s so much like me it hurts…even to the point of where she suffers from similar ailments.  I’ve lived with chronic headaches my whole life. 
A day without a headache is unknown to me.

“Would you rather stay home?” 
She shakes her head.  I know she’s feeling poorly but she wants to go anyway.

We end up going for some “Not so hot” hot chocolate (a local drive-through coffee shop makes this especially for kids complete with a straw and a whipped cream decoration on said straw…which pleases miss Willow to no end).  Then we went to the library, read a few books, and put together a few puzzles.  She was feeling much better at this point (after some children’s Motrin).

Then we went back to her house, loaded everyone up (Shadow, Justice, Willow, and me) in the car, and headed over to San Felipe’s
for dinner and drinks with friends and family. 

My coworker and friend, Nancy showed up.  That was a treat because she doesn’t go out much and that she came out for me, tells me a lot.  She said, “You rank.” :-)


Nancy and lillynn
Elizabeth brought her boyfriend, Joden, her mom, Karen, and her daughter, Adrian.


Joden, Elizabeth, and Karen

The waitress comes up and everyone tells her that it’s my birthday.  She says, “Oh, you get a free shot!”

I’m all happy.  I say, “I’ll take tequila.”
“Oh, no.  You get a blowjob!”
“I like those!”
Everyone laughs because it comes out kind of funny.  I blush (of course!).
“Well, I mean…I like the drink.  But…well…you know…the other isn’t so bad, either.” 
Heh.

The blowjob comes and Willow wants the whipped cream (she’s a whipped cream fanatic).  So, I don’t get to drink it in the custom that we’ve all shared (picking up the shot glass with your mouth and downing the entire drink, whipped cream and all, in one swallow).  Willow whispers in my ear, “I tasted the blowjob!  It was good!”

I giggle.  Of course.

More drinks are ordered (I got a yummy mango margarita — yes, yes…totally a girlie drink.  I’m a girlie, what can I say?).

Food is ordered and delivered.  I got a grilled fish taco and a chicken enchilada.  Willow, as you can see, got a cheese crisp.  Justice got rice and beans.


Willow and Justice

Then, as we were getting ready to eat, my sister, Dusty, brother-in-law, Robert, and their two babies, Kooper and Lillynn, came in.  I was overjoyed.  I don’t think they know how much I wanted them to be there.  Kooper was decked out in a little leather biker jacket that made him look like a miniature Sha-Na-Na person.  It made me giggle more (I’m sure the alcohol didn’t hurt…me being the lightweight that I am!).


Kooper and Lillynn

We all ate.  Then, the waitress brought out some crazy dessert that had LOT’S of whipped cream (yes, Willow was VERY excited!).  They all sang happy birthday.  Willow slides on to my lap and swipes the cherry before I can take it.  *laugh*  She cracks me up.  Then she proceeds to work at tying the stem into a knot.  The girl cannot be 5 years old.  I swear.

My brother and sister are tired at this point and it’s past the kids’ bedtimes so they all leave.  Nancy heads home.  Elizabeth and her family and I all go to a little shop that has all kinds of fun stuff in it.  I get a pretty purple corset and a cool bracelet.  Elizabeth gets some funky-fun pink and black high heels.

Then we go to play some pool at Uptown Billards (a totally non-smoking bar/venue…what a relief!).  Joden tells me that they have more import beers than most anywhere in town (and this is a drinking town!).  They even have a good pear cider on tap.

Joden and I play three games of pool and everyone is getting tired at that point (except me…I’m bouncing off of walls).

We say goodnight.  I drive home with my stereo cranked, singing at the top of my lungs.  I get home, call Jonathan and be the birthday brat girl for an hour or so while we talk. 

I order my plane ticket to visit him in Vancouver over the holiday break (YES!!!  I’m going back!).

And we say goodnight.  I slip into bed with a very happy smile on my face.

It was a GOOD day.

Scratch that.

It was a GREAT day.