Following the birth of my own precious darlin' and in expectation of my nephew 'Trail' Blaser, birthdays hold a new meaning. They are now a very special day where we celebrate the much anticipated life of individuals who mean a great deal to us. I've always loved birthdays, and as opposed to Christmas, I hold no qualms about showering the birthday person with attention, presents, and a general sense of 'prince or princess-ship' for the day. Birthdays should still be fun, even when you age beyond the years of inflatable bouncy toys and slip 'n' slides. So, this year I celebrated my birthday with extra gusto, and still don't feel guilty about my second piece of cake at 11 pm that night.

My family joined us at our home for ribs, chicken, and all those other bbq extras. (If it had been the 'perfect' birthday dinner we would have had eggplant parmesan, but I wanted people to actually attend so...) My sister-in-law made a delicious red velvet cake and Autumn and I licked the icing off the candles. Lillian sat in my lap while we opened gifts and made a two handed grab for the beautiful diamond and amethyst necklace from my parents. Is expensive taste genetic? All in all it was a wonderfully simple celebration of the day of my birth, and while I don't feel the wiser for my 26 years, I am extremely grateful to the Lord for the time He has given me here on earth and the blessings He has lavished on me. I am a rich woman in many, many ways.