NYR 4-1-11 - my 40th birthday!

Today was a GREAT day. Quite possibly the best birthday I've ever had. So good, in fact, that I'm trying to figure out how I can turn 40 every year.

Here are the highlights:

8:00am - I take a shower and because I'm trying to baby my new eyes and not get water or shampoo in them, I obviously neglect other parts of my body and end up stepping out of the shower with the worst kink in the neck that I've ever had. I wonder if things are going to start failing on body so soon after turning 40.

(Note: this is one of only two negative things that happen all day. This is NOT a negative post.)

9:00am - Follow-up with Dr. A where 24 hours after surgery, I'm declared to have 20/20 vision with no evidence of myopia. HURRAY!

12:00 - Most of my favorite Bogota girlfriends take me to lunch at one of my favorite Bogota restaurants. I eat a Philly Cheesesteak with french fries. It is so delicious and I don't worry for one second what all those fat grams are doing to my 40 year-old cellulite collection.

Things start going a little weird after lunch. The girls take me back to one of their apartments where we wait for a driver who drives us all out of town for an afternoon surprise. I have no idea where we're going, but we end up at Guatavita which is where Mac's overnight camping trip was a few months ago. We hike up the mountain and it is beautiful. The temperature is in the 70s, the skies are blue and the company is better - and funnier - than you can possibly imagine!

I even see a rainbow on this rainless day, which I know beyond the shadow of a doubt is my dad singing me "Happy Birthday" from his perch in heaven.

5:15pm - we start driving back to Bogota. I think it's a little odd that Jimmy doesn't call to check in on my whereabouts. He came home early from work to be there when Mac got home from school so I could be on my afternoon field trip.

6:45pm - The girls drop me off first. I go upstairs, turn the key, open the door, and see a whole bunch of people and a lot of balloons in my apartment. They may or may not have screamed "surprise", but I honestly cannot remember because I was so shell-shocked. All I could think was that I probably smelled from sweating on the afternoon field trip. That and I had cow poop on my shoes from the afternoon field trip (unknowingly stepping in cow poop and unknowingly getting it all over Cammy's car floor mat was the second bad thing that happened today).

Photos follow of the grand entrance as captured by Jimmy. (Clearly the shock is so great that I cannot seem to close my mouth.)






I greet all these wonderful people, quickly change clothes into my new dress (that I thought I would wear on Saturday night which is when I thought we were having the birthday dinner out), put on some fresh deodorant, and enjoy my party. Jimmy completely outdid himself. He ordered a huge paella and even hired waiters! Great food, great cake made by my dear and multi-talented friend Kerali, and great friends. How can a girl be so lucky?

the paella

the very delicious and very appropriate birthday cake - I LOVED the thought that went into this!


For happy birthday celebrations, I am truly and exuberantly thankful.