Wishes, Dreams, Future and Past...

Ah, my birthday... how I love it so. Reconnecting with friends, spending time with loved ones, and feeling the love... so much love.

I woke up to this beautiful photo above, with the text attached:
____________________________________________________________
Hope your day has had a great start!

Here is a photo that I took in Barcelona, especially with you in mind. I saw the sculpture and thought of you. And I thought I could send it to you when you were with child. So here it is, birthday and mommy-dom, all in one this year.

So, they stand at the entrance to Palau Reial in Pedrables. No, you are not a queen. And the baby is a boy, I think. That cannot be helped. We didn't know then what we know now. But I like how they are having a long, very positive look out, at the world that lays ahead of them. This reminds me of you. In their case, it is a lush and green and gorgeous garden of serenity and calm. With a note of modernity, if you look for it. And the whole city sits just beyond.

So I wish you, for you birthday, a lush and green and calm world, that has the comforts of modernity and always a reminder to what has passed. Because what we have seen helps to make us who we are. And of all the people I know, you TOTALLY get that.

Have a great day! I miss you lots!
_________________________________________________________________
She captures so completely what this birthday feels like: the comforts of the future and the remembrance of the past. I am so hopeful and excited for our baby girl to be born, but I have a remarkably heavy heart. I knew that I would miss my grandmother - miss her lovely cards and the annual birthday check. But with the passing of my sister-in-law's mother just two days ago, a woman who was a fantastic grandmother to their 3 young children, I am both humbled by my good fortune of having my grandmother for so long, and the knowledge that our little one will -God Willing- have my parents for many years to come. So I will go forward into this year with hope, with the knowledge that our loved ones are so precious.

But I'm not here to bring this celebration down, I am here to express my gratitude to all of my friends for all the love. I love the love...

BirdQueen told me to...

Reposted from my dear BirdQueen's site:
I really love her post about being grateful. I think it is so important to be grateful for what you have, even in the face of all the things you don't.

I am extremely grateful for so much.

First, I am so grateful that after 34 very long years of searching for a kind man, I finally found one that is so well-suited for me, and shockingly loves me as much as I love him. I know our lives are not perfect, but I can deal with anything if he is by my side.

I have a joke, that single women of any age need four things: 1) a phenomenal best friend or group of friends, 2) a dog or other source of affection and unconditional love, 3) a vibrator or some other source of pleasure, and 4) a masseuse or some other source of non-sexual touch. I feel extremely grateful that I have so many friends that can help me find these things - should I ever need them: 1) I have two amazing best friends 2) I have Ben and soon Sara to visit or borrow should I get depressed 3) I have Jeanette and you to guide me should I ever need help choosing a non-human aid of some variety and 4) For now, I have yoga, my husband, and a growing number of strangers touching me. I am very much looking forward to years of cuddling with the new little one in my life.

I am grateful I have a wonderful job that gives me a great sense of purpose and I hope I will figure out a way to continue to develop my intellect and my ambition in balance with my other interests and family life.

I have a wonderful extended family that reminds me of how far I have come or how far I have left to go - depending on the day. And that has been extremely supportive of me emotionally, financially, and intellectually.

And I have something else. Something that very few people realize they have. I have dozens of people all over the city that greet me, check in with how I am doing, and make my everydays more joyful. So to the doorman at the Four Seasons, the cashier at Starbucks, the cafeteria lady, my hairdresser, my priests, my mother's secretary, etc, etc: to all of you... thank you for caring for me. Thank you for asking about me. Thank you for being so nice and making my life better - a few minutes at a time.