how to have a perfectly nice birthday in eight parts and eight pictures.

Yesterday, I turned 33. I hate to admit it- because all rational and reasonable thinking tells me I should know otherwise- but I don't think I really wanted to turn 33. There was this part of me that deep down, tried to spoil my birthday spirits with rotten ideas of growing up and old. That part of me tried really hard to have a rotten day. But, despite my doubts, I still managed to have a pretty sweet day all around, internal conflict be damned!

I went to the garden first thing upon waking and buried my compost- as I always do. But after taking taking the youngest to school, I came home and fixed extra coffee and ate it with a piece of left over birthday cake. Did I mention the awesome, beautiful sunflower cake my mother made for me?

I then got caught up on some not too tedious work that needed to be done before heading off to pick up the boy from school. Accomplishing overdue tasks just feels good.

After lunch, I read aloud from Eleven Turtles Tales while lying on a patchwork quilt cuddled up with my three year old in my garden under a bright blue sky, lying half in the sun and half in the shade.

After reading from said turtle tales, I rolled over, closed my eyes and took a little cat nap while the boy played in the yard. The breeze was blowing, the sun was shining and I was aware that I really couldn't ask for a more beautiful day. Upon waking, I spent some time taking these photographs, and just enjoying the wonders of a small garden.

What followed was pretty mundane, but included a few nice calls wishing me a happy birthday. And later, after sitting around all day thinking about these extra pounds that have gathered around my waist, and the shortness of breath I feel all the more often, I printed out the Couch To 5K running program and gave it a go. I am so happy I did because it felt so good!

I finished the day comfortable in my bed feeling the cool early autumn air through the open window with a glass of merlot and a copy of Main Street in my hands, my husband by my side.

So, even if I am now firmly planted into my 30's - I have to admit, I really couldn't think of a better way to spend my birthday-unless maybe all of these same things happened in some tropical paradise. I could handle that. Yeah. I could.