Monday, September 29, 2008

Grateful

Friday night, as I was struggling to stay awake while waiting for the Obama / McCain debate to begin, there was a knock on the door. "I wonder who that could be?" Mr. Milkweed said, a gleam in his eye, when in walked my friend Glenda, who had driven from Chicago to wish me a happy birthday in person!

Photobucket

Thus began the awesomest of birthday weekends. Saturday night, Mr. Milkweed had arranged a shindig with many of my favorite people in attendance, all of whom he'd contacted covertly and none of whom had breathed a word about it to me. There were appetizers, a cake from my favorite bakery, spirited discussions of literature, politics, and kids, and a really nasty joke about a panda bear. And to top it all off, gifts! I received, among other wonderful things, a potato peeler shaped like a monkey, a tote bag from my favorite local business , and some artwork from Henry and Luke:

Photobucket

Photobucket

Never has a lady turned 30 with so much love and style.

I am feeling a profound sense of gratitude today. I feel grateful for my husband, I feel grateful for my daughter, and I feel grateful for my friends and the new friends I continue to make. I feel grateful for this little life that we've made for ourselves here in Ohio.

And as excited as I am about the upcoming year, and the renewed possibilities brought on by MLA or a shift for Mr. Milkweed into secondary education, it makes me so sad to think about leaving this life behind.

It's a really good thing I have a couple of Merry's brownies left in the fridge.

3 comments:

Ser said...

i hav a alien makr martha-lynn. Hav a hapee birthday next september 28!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From Luke!

Ser said...

Oh yes, I see you visited my blog and discovered the other little gift I gave you: step throat exposure! I'm so sorry. I really just felt a little off that night, otherwise I wouldn't have come.

I'm glad you had a good birthday. Let those good feelings and leftover brownies carry you into another season of MLA.

glenda said...

it was great to see you and to finally meet eva! i'm glad you had a good weekend. :)