Life is good.

Here are a few things I want to remember about my 34th birthday...

~ Still riding the high from the amazing weekend and my first official overnight retreat since Lily was born, almost four years ago.

~ Taking several important steps towards starting my new career!

~ Driving the van through puddles today and hearing both kids SQUEAL with delight when the water splashed up.

~ Quinn having a major tantrum and throwing everything that came near him at the restaurant during lunch.

{And me REALLY not being all that bothered about it. Don't get me wrong, I definitely would have preferred to eat under more peaceful conditions but it didn't totally ruin my day in the way tantrums have in the past. That feels really BIG.}

~ Sitting in the van in the rain with the kids and watching surfers riding the waves and yelling "surfer up!!!.....awwwwww....surfer dooooooown" over and over and then laughing and laughing.

~ Receiving cards and e-mail wishes from friends I haven't talked to in a long time. It felt so good to reconnect!

~ Helping Quinn through another tantrum at nap time, and again being really pretty okay with it (I never imagined I'd feel this way about tantrums. Very cool. :-).

~ Having one of my wonderful Mother's Helpers here to keep Lil company while I was upstairs being okay with above-mentioned tantrum.

~ Hearing about the crazy adventure that my mom took to pick up a reflexology gift certificate for me and thinking about how wonderful it's going to be when I go for the treatment.

~ Watching Quinn be totally satisfied to re-gift me flowers two seconds after Lily presented them to me!

~ Eating delicious Pad Thai that John picked up on his way home tonight.

~ Having my dad take something out of the yard that I've been wishing would disappear so I can enjoy a more pleasing view out of my kitchen window.

~ And the most wonderful thing I want to remember about my 34th birthday...

Having Lily smile and reach under her pillow this morning. And pull out the birthday card she made for me.

On it she drew a picture and wrote in something that looked like this...

MMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMM

Which she dictated to John to be...

~ I love when Mama helps me to take a bath.
~ I love when Mama feeds me food.
~ I love when Mama takes me places and gives me treats.
~ I love when Mama helps me to sleep.
~ And when Mama helps me write letters.
~ And I love that Mama always cares about me and hugs me and kisses me.

Ahhhhhhh....life is good.