My birthday was Thursday, so I'm just finishing up my birthday weekend (#32, for anyone counting). It was a great birthday all around. My friend, Dove, gets the prize for the biggest surprise - flowers delivered to me at work! And my friend, Chris, gets the prize for the most unusual greeting - an email card of a rat hypocampal neuron, taken by Chris with an electron microscope.

I got a lot of sweet cards, emails, and phone calls (thanks Jess!), throughout the day, and it made for a nice day. Alex offered to make me breakfast, but because it was a work day, I declined. He did make it for Kate, though, which was a great start to the day. My coworkers took me to lunch at the Blue Spoon (it was yummy Italian day). My parents took us out (sans Sean, who was working) for dinner at Ruby Tuesday's, chosen for its close proximity to the UU where Alex had to be for youth group at 7. Alex gave me a nice handmade card with a coupon for a 30 minute shoulder massage each month for ever, and two books. My parents gave me beautiful earrings. Sean and Kate gave me their gifts when we got home - Kate picked out body spray, hand salve, and chocolate covered espresso beans (yum), and Sean gave me hot packs and battery powered socks (for my cold hands and feet), and just today I opened a book from him, too. He and I went out last night without kids to Zola's Bistro - a local restaurant people have raved about but we hadn't gotten to yet - and then to the movies to see The Fountain (which I do not recommend).

Pretty good birthday! I'm lucky to have so many great friends and family.