Last summer, while my Mom was visiting Steve and I, we were out for dinner one night at Dow's Lake. Part way through the evening, a girl approached our table with a tinge of curiosity in her eyes that indicated we were suppose to know her from somewhere!! As it turned out, it was a girl that I had gone to elementary school with back in London who was visiting from B.C.!! We chatted for a couple of minutes and packed a lifetime of change into a brief encounter. What was hilarious about that meeting though was what appeared to have triggered the recognition...She said that she hadn't recognized me but, as soon as she saw my Mother...she remember our birthday parties from grade school!!! She said that she would always remember my Mother because of those birthday parties!!!! I hope that my Mom felt great pride in that moment because it's true...her parties were legendary!!

In my family, birthdays were always a very special occasion. Not necessarily a big occasion, but always very special. I can remember being a little girl and being so excited for my birthday because my Mom would fill my lunch with all these exciting treats that I couldn't wait to find. Birthdays were meant to be spoiled and shared and indulged in. Again, not necessarily with an excess of gifts but, definitely with an excess of love and thoughtfulness. My Mother is famous for her thoughtfulness and the personal touch that she adds to everything. My birthday parties were never generic...they were meant to recognize the fact that our existence is worth celebrating...and everyone got to join in.

As I got older, my Mother would mark my birthday with a stuffed animal, in hopes that I would never lose that sense of being young and the playfulness that we tend to lose with maturity. I have most of them packed away for our own kids one day but, I have the last one I received, on my twenty-first birthday, safely on our bed at home.

As I got older though, I found birthdays to be a bit stressful. The day would come and go and more times than not, other people's expectations would become the main focus of the day...who did you celebrate with?? who didn't you celebrate with?? who got most of your time?? who didn't get enough?? blah blah blah...it became all very dramatic and I lost most of my interest and excitement in celebrating.

Last year, my birthday was the best one that I could remember in numerous years...it was subtle but enjoyable. It was truly a reminder of what birthdays used to be like...that is, until this year!! This past week, I have been overwhelmed with love and thoughtfulness for my birthday and I truly can't think of any other way that I would want to turn twenty-nine. I would have liked to have posted something about my birthday sooner but, this is the first chance that I've had to sit down and really reflect on the past couple of days. As Jesper once said..sometimes in the middle of daily choas, moments come along that are just perfect!! This week has been one moment like that after another.

Even as I look back...my birthday wasn't celebrated in any extravagant way but, the number of people who went out of their way to genuinely wish me a wonderful day and year to come was extremely touching. Although my birthday was on Wednesday, it truly was an entire week of being spoiled!! Monday started with a mailbox full of birthday cards from family and friends (including Keir's contribution to helping me accomplish my summer reading resolution), and my Uncle Victor's mission to be the first and last to wish me happy birthday began!!! Tuesday was spent indulging in three hours of Orlando Bloom and Johnny Depp in the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie (because really, what girl can start any new year without such eye candy?!?!). Wednesday was literally sixteen hours straight of endless birthday wishes!! Other than my somewhat groggy husband (due to the late night of Pirate watching!!), my Dad was the first to wish me into my 30th year!! From there on in, it was simply one beautiful encounter after another that included a balloon filled office...Louise's specialty homemade cheesecake...milkshakes and poutine with Abby and Melanie...amazing surprises from Steve, Christina, Marie, Abby...great laughs from Heather, Roberta, Kathy and Doug (oh so much singing on our voice mail!!)...long overdue chats with aunts and uncles...a Venti Peppermint Mocha from my friends at Starbucks...a well pulled off surprise from my new boss...flowers from Alain...endless facebook messages (addictions do have its benefits!!!)...a terrific evening with Steve...some cake mix and too much wine!!! Where does the laughter end...?!?!

Last night, Steve and I headed to Montreal to enjoy our first experience of the Just for Laughs Festival. One of our favourite comics, Danny Bhoy, was the only solo performer of this year's festival and we managed to score ourselves some tickets to see him live. We had the most terrific time and it was so hysterical in fact, that we drove ourselves an hour and a half in the wrong direction on the way home!!! Fear not though, with a little help from an old map, we found our way back to Ottawa, albeit via a bit of a detour in the presence of some questionable creatures lingering in the night!!!

Just when I thought things couldn't get any better, my sister-in-law, Monica called to say she was coming up tonight to indulge in some drunken silliness with me (she was sweet...she got Steve's permission first to make a mess of his wife!!)!! The two of us are going to hit Kinki, martini in hand, with a vengeance!!!! The last couple of times we have done this...things have gotten a bit messy! I can't wait!! There may or may not be pictures to show for it...it depends on how compromising the evening becomes!!!!

Anyways, to my family and friends...thank you for one of the very best birthdays I've ever had. Thank you for your caring and thoughtfulness, and thank you for your simple gestures that reminded me of just how much I am loved.

My Mother...the legendary queen of celebrating birthdays, would be so proud!!