Birthday Thankful

On Sunday, I turned into a 31 year old. And just as if the Lord had been waiting all summer to open up the clouds for the sake of my official entry into the rest of the 30s, it suddenly became summer in San Francisco. Just like that, while the rest of you were buying fall clothes for your offspring’s off-to-school shopping, I put on my shorts and forgot (whoops!) to wear sunscreen. Ahhh. Here’s what I’m thankful for:

• Facebook birthday wishes. Seriously, isn’t it amazing what a birthday on Facebook can do for your self esteem? Who cares that all those people got a reminder when they logged on that you exist and are celebrating! What matters is every individual “Happy birthday!” from each random study partner in your sophomore History class. It feels good, I tell you.

• My friend Jamie gave me a birthday call and reminded me that it’s been ten years since my heartbreaking 21^st birthday, when I and all my friends in college were too busy planning and carrying out New Student Orientation at HSU (from 6 am to midnight) to celebrate. I think I had time that day for a 10-minute cry in the bathroom. But, you know what I best remember from that day? My friend Lex Robertson gave me a card with a monkey on it (or was it an ape?), with the written inscription: “I only want to see you dancing in the purple rain.” Lex, you probably had no idea I remember that, but today I’m thankful for you and for Prince. (Honestly, I’m thankful for Prince everyday.)

• Eggs Benedict. This is my favorite breakfast of all time, which my husband faithfully makes (homemade hollandaise sauce, my friends) for my breakfast in bed every birthday, Mother’s Day, and super-emotional-Micha-day. Sunday I did not get breakfast in bed because we spent the weekend on a retreat with our church, but you bet I got it for dinner and ate it watching Mad Men.

• Remember how I said it was a summer day Sunday (and today!)? When we got home, we grabbed the quilt, walked to the park, spread out in the grass. I sipped a latte, ate a pastry and took a nap while the boys played around me. Is there anything as good as listening to your son and husband play while you fall asleep in the sun? I’ll answer that: No. There’s nothing as good.

• I took my cartilage piercing out of my ear. It’s been 13 years since I helped convince my hallway of freshmen dorm friends to go to the Piercing Pagoda and the mall and do something Crazy! 13 years later, I’ve thought of taking it out several times, but it was sweet to me, this gentle reminder of my friends and my giddiness about life when I was 18. Last night as I went to bed, my ear aching for the fourth night in a row because, even 13 years later, those piercings just hurt sometimes, I said to my husband: “Why shouldn’t I take this thing out?” Christopher, having never liked the thing in my ear, said: “There are no reasons you shouldn’t.” (He tends to be straightforward.) And I realized, shockingly, that he was right. It was good to take it out today. It felt like a step toward…adulthood?

So, it probably wasn’t your birthday this week, but I’m sure you have a few thankfuls in you. Please share.