Birthdays come but once a year..

It was my birthday yesterday, and it was certainly wasn't the same as any other year.  I mean, is it ever really the same?  You're one year older than the previous birthday.  You've lived one more year from the last birthday.  You've probably grown and experienced so much in the past year .. probably.  

I wanted to share that no matter how old I get (at least for the birthdays that I remember), when someone lights the candles and people begin to sing, I always, always get teary eyed.

Whatever. I am not one of those sentimental types, but for whatever reason .. candles .. singing .. cake .. the dimmed lights .. gets me EVERY single time.

This year, since I'm living in upstate New York, I obviously couldn't do my usual dinner party, dress up, cook a feast, and get drunk with all of my friends.  My friends from nursing school made it special though. They even told the waitress it my birthday, and I got fried ice cream with 'happy birthday' written on the plate,  and they gave me wine & delirium as a present.  What great people.  I must say I'm truly lucky; who makes such great friends in such a short amount of time?  Well, no sense questioning .. I guess I'll just settle for being grateful.

Well.. since I didn't have a big party to take a bunch of pictures at (I just had cake with Christopher back at my apartment after eating out with my friends), I only took 3 pictures .. all of my cake.  It wasn't even one of my usual culinary creations, just boxed cake, a 13 X 9, and buttercream frosting.  It was still very delicious.

I made the cake, decorated it, and put the candles in.  I called Chris in from the living room, and we lit the candles.  He sang.  It was one of the simplest but best moments in my life.

Candles. Cake. Christopher.

Good friends.  Great day.  So much to be thankful for.

Who really could ask for more?  No wonder I get teary eyed, even if I am .. one year older.