Happy Birf-day!

Yesterday was my birthday.  I love birthdays.  I have said this before.  I love a birthday even more when it’s my own. 

My birthday this year was good but not fantastic.  I woke up with a sore throat and never really felt vivacious the rest of the day.  Michael has a big project looming at work so he was occupied and I ended up having to bake my own birthday cake.  The stars were not aligned for me this year.

However, Michael bought me a new cookbook and some mixing bowls that I’ve been wanting and he took me to lunch.  I went to ice cream later in the evening with my girlfriends and had a lot of phone calls and well-wishes from family and friends.  I can’t complain too much. 

My delicious cake with coconut-pecan frosting.  I’m totally in it for the frosting.

   

Getting ready for my birthday song.

Eva enjoying her piece of cake.

My visiting teachers from church brought me another cake and an orchid.

It’s good to be 34.  Happy Birthday also to my brother and my niece!  They turned 28 and 8 respectively. 

San Diego

I just returned home from San Diego on Saturday.  We buried my grandpa and began the chore of cleaning out his house in preparation to sell it sometime in the Spring.  In the days leading up to the trip, I had a lot of anxiety about going to say goodbye.  I was pretty emotional and struggled to keep my tears under control.  However, once I arrived in San Diego, I was completely calm.  Peace overtook the sadness, and I was glad that Grandpa was reunited with my Grandma and whole again.

The funeral was the best one I have ever attended.  It was a sincere tribute and celebration of his life and I only shed a few tears.  My sisters, mom, cousins, aunt and I sang a musical number at the funeral.  I had initially worried I would just blubber through the whole thing but I didn’t cry at all.  We sang like angels and beautifully sent Grandpa off.  It was a great experience. 

After the cemetery, we went to lunch at my grandpa’s favorite Italian restaurant.  We filled the banquet room and laughed and talked.  At the end of the meal, my uncle passed around a box of See’s chocolates; Grandpa’s favorite candy.  Delicious! 

We didn't have much time to play, but we did manage to sneak in a visit to the beach and the roller coaster at Belmont Park.  We also hit Point Loma Seafoods for a squid sandwich. TWICE!  It was excellent.  Here are the only pictures I have from the trip:  

Me and my sissies at the cemetery.

At the luncheon, stuffing our faces.

Riding the roller coaster.  Which, by the way, is wooden and rattles your brains out.  My brother and I groaned around each curve like a couple of senior citizens.

At Mission Beach.

It was strange to think about not ever being at his house again, but it was alright.  Everything about the week felt right.  I am grateful for that.  It was a wonderfully special blessing.  My brother's wife had their baby girl late at night the same day of the funeral.  We bid farewell to one family member and welcomed in another.  The circle of life continues.

Overwhelmed

Got a lot to do.  Got a lot on my mind.  Not enough time for both. 

Anniversary

Michael and I are celebrating our 11th wedding anniversary.  Today I am a mixture of happiness and sorrow; happy to celebrate another year with my husband, sorrowful because my grandfather just passed away.  We’ve been planning our anniversary date for weeks and I’m trying to remember it's appropriate to celebrate in the midst of grief.  Tonight we are going to a romantic dinner and then watching the new Thor movie.  Eva is not invited.  She will be at our friend’s house. 

Anniversaries are funny.  I can’t believe it has been 11 years already, but then I also feel like it’s been longer.  It’s as though we’ve always been together.  I’m grateful for the chance to take a moment and reflect on our relationship and the importance of it.  I thought when I married Michael that my love for him was really deep and meaningful.  It wasn’t.  It was an immature, fairy tale kind of love that has since evolved into something deep and meaningful.  I love him now with intensity.  I continue to grow in my love for him.  The most astounding thing is that I’m not sick of him and we actually still have things to talk about!

Michael is kind and patient and sincere.  He puts up with my nagging and carrying on, he overlooks my goatee and sausage fingers, he unloads the dishwasher because he knows I hate doing it.  He is my source of strength and happiness.

So on this 11th anniversary, I will take a break from sadness for a moment and celebrate my union with Michael.  I’m going to eat Crème Brulee and a candy bar, and cry again later. 

I love you, Mykey!   

Girl’s Night

When the man is out of the house, Eva and I like to kick back together and watch Iron Chef America.

 

Unfortunately, Eva always bogarts the remote.

Unmentionables

Looks like she knows exactly what to do.

How depressing that we wear the same size.

Halloween

We had a nice Halloween.  Michael wore his Richard Simmons costume to work and won the “Most Frightening” award: a gift card to the movies.  We’re going to use it to see Thor for our anniversary next weekend.  This is only half of the people in his office because some of them were gone and some didn’t dress up. 

Myke was such a sport, he even wore his costume to the sandwich shop for lunch.  We received a lot of positive reactions and chuckles.  It was fun.

In the evening we went trick or treating with one of our friends around their neighborhood.  It was perfect outside.  The temperature was in the high 50’s with no precipitation.  I wore my puffy coat because I’m used to being cold on Halloween but it was far too hot.  I ended up stealing Myke’s jacket and he was just in shorts and a T-shirt.  Eva was a giraffe and was really cute.  She was actually a little sweaty too when I took her costume off.  It was Eva’s second Halloween, but her first time trick or treating so it was exciting.   

We only took Eva up to the doors of the first few houses and then she just wanted to ride in the stroller.  She had a pretty good haul of candy for a 1 year old who can’t walk or say “Trick or Treat.”

Of course, this is what is left after I ate the Snickers and the licorice.  And Myke had a Jolly Rancher.

I was sad knowing that my family was having a gathering and eating delicious food without me, but our evening was really nice.  I did miss the chili and cornbread though.  We had corndogs for dinner.  Who ever heard of corndogs on Halloween?  Next year I will make chili and invite people over.

It was a good holiday all around.

Happy Halloween!