Happy Birthday to Meeeee

On Thursday night, we were planning to go camping in the beautiful Shenandoah’s in honor of my birthday on Friday.  Dan surprised me with a spot picked out months ago before it filled up right at the top of a mountain overlooking a valley and we had super tasty foil dinners all prepared and the sleeping bags all down from the attic. And then it rained.  And rained.  And rained some more.We thought about braving it, but let’s be honest, I’m a wuss and had no desire to be wet and miserable, especially with 2 kids in tow.  So we threw in the towel and decided to reschedule for not-during-a-tropical-storm.

We were also planning to go to the beach on Saturday.  And then it continued to rain.

But Saturday afternoon!  Saturday afternoon, you pretty little thing, you.  Thanks for making my year.  I threw on a favorite outfit and the sun broke through as we left the baptism of a little friend and some sparkly rays sneaked through the clouds.  And then burned them right off.  After some naps, we took the already-prepped foil dinners right outside to the park behind our place and cooked them up on the grill.  And oh, those fajita veggies and cheesy potatoes and corn and crispy burritos, they were tasty.  All the more so for the anticipation and utter lack of work.

When we got out, there were a bunch of guys playing basketball and there was this one sweet little son of one of them who made friends with N.  As they were making introductions, Dan said, “This is my son and best friend, N.”  N then ran right over to K and said, “This is my sister and best friend K.”  And just melted my heart right off.

After stuffing our faces, we hopped on our bikes and took a few spins around the neighborhood.  It was one of those glowy, hazy evenings that just settles in your soul.  The ride picked up a hint of breeze just strong enough to cool the remnants of too-warm sunlight.  The kids loved every second of being in the bike trailer and just sang and laughed and squealed and told Dan to keep right on riding.  They and Dan kept calling out to me that they loved me and wanted me to know that I’m special and other nice things.  That summer scent just hung like dew in the air.  You know that smell?  The one of wildflowers and still-damp grass and the sun itself.

There were other wonderful birthday things – Dan wayyyyy outdoing himself in the gift department by surprising me with Lasik (YOU.GUYS.).  Possibly my new favorite cake (almond. Dan has changed quite a lot from his no-cooking bachelor days) and a Sunday evening gathering with friends.  A date-night dinner with the best Thai in the city and dinner with my family, too.

But in spite of, or maybe because of, all the unplanning and replanning and plan cancelling, the best part of all really was that simple, lazy, glowy Saturday evening.  That feeling with my little family, that summer night, I just want to cement it in my memory forever.  Happy birthday, indeed.

Something about biking in a skirt that makes me smile

All in one blow for maybe the first time in my life