Happiest birthday in Not All Who Wander Are Lost

The best part of your birthday being the last day of the year is that you finish the year off being loved and doted on by everyone you know, and then when you wake up in the new year you’re still all full up on birthday love. It’s really the best.

Yesterday was just amazing. From start to finish. Well, there was a bit at the end where Adam and I realized our heater wasn’t working but other than that . . .

I woke up early for work and did my hair and make up because I wouldn’t have time after work to get ready. I looked AMAZE, if I do say so myself. (and I do.)

Work was okay. A bit pointless because I was basically on my phone the entire time. Lots of phone calls and birthday messages. I’ve started this tradition of asking people to post pictures of my fave actors for my birthday and people do NOT disappoint. I spent a lot of time giggling and blushing. My friend Rakesh made a picture for me to illustrate my birthday love.

I left work at noon to meet Julie and Ryan for lunch at Sarnies, my favorite deli, and as an added bonus I get a Jenny and Scott! Julie and Ryan were going to Cincy for the night and Jenny and Scott had to do a thing downtown, so it was so sweet they made time to see me. Julie bought me lunch and got me a Hawkeye arrow bracelet and a necklace with a key to 221B Baker St and Jenny got me a gift card to the movies, since that was my next stop on the birthday train.

I met up with Mystee at the movies and complimented the ticket guy on his Hufflepuff tie which led to a long convo about Hogwarts houses and then my Kellie showed up, which I was only half expecting and OMG I LOVE MY KELLIE. We watched Battle of the Five Armies and gosh, I just miss going to the movies with Kells. She’s in Cincinnati now and we just never get to see her.

The movie ended earlier than I had anticipated so no one was scheduled to show up to dinner until 5. So Kells, Myst, and I decided to pregame and I was well into my second sangria by the time dinner started and life was amazing. Clint, Lindsey, Loey, Myst, Kells, and Jo were all there and it was just trust lovely. We went to this place called Poco Piatti which is one of my faves. It’s Mediterranean tapas and it’s just, ugh, so good. We had SO MUCH FOOD and it just kept coming and I kept eating. Jo brought a baklava assortment for dessert and we sang happy birthday and the waitresses all came over to tell us how lovely we sounded ;)

And then by that time I was super drunk. Jo drove me home and we had the kind of lovely/weepy convo that comes with having a bestie. I just felt very blessed at the end of it all. So many people just made my day so very special and sometimes I just sit back and think, “wow, this is all for ME.” Like I’m special enough to have people do this for me. It’s just very overwhelming sometimes but I’m so thankful for it.

Anyway, got home, stayed up with the kids for a bit. I had been complaining about how cold it was and it wasn’t until we were going to bed that Adam realized the heat wasn’t working. He ended up going to work and getting a ton of space heaters to keep the house warm so it’s not a big deal right now but hopefully he’s able to fix it without it costing an arm and a leg.

So that was the tale of my birthday and the new year! Thus far I’ve worked on a puzzle and that is a fab start to the year in my book ;)

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