i may not get the look

but whenever I make reference to a mother while reading a book, Quincy turns to me, pats me, says "mama", and gives me a hug.

Plus I get Eskimo kisses from pirates.

I sure am lucky too.

And as proven by the crow's feet, birthdays come even when we don't want them to.

Last year on my birthday, my mom made me waffles for breakfast and we had La Rosa's pizza for dinner. Yum.

This year it's been a mellow day so far. Listening to the election results on NPR, scrapbooking, taking a long, windy walk by the beach, and stopping for ice cream on the way home. A couple phone calls from near (Upper Hutt) + far (Norway). A few emails from Cincinnati + one from Abu Dhabi. My parents insist it isn't really my birthday yet, so they always call when it is the fifth there, so I get to celebrate for two days.

I feel loved + lucky, despite approaching forty at a far-too-rapid pace.

And now Jeremy is home and it's time to open a package from my mom and a few other gifts and cards that I have been staring at all day with great discipline. We also have to stop by across the road at an election party. And then some takeaways. But first, today's layouts...