You are all just SO sweet. Really and truly sweet. And kind, too. Thank you SO much for all the lovely and generous birthday wishes. It was a treat popping in and out of the house during my grand birthday festivities and reading the new birthday comments as they came in. What little bits of joy each and every one of them are! I thank you for that!
The celebrating has been MUCH fun. I've been completely spoiled and feel so full of so many of my favorite things - family, friends, the beach, breakfast in bed (prepared by my favorite babes), a city I love, museums, a few favorite shops (where I showed remarkable restraint, I'll have you all know), and, well, ice cream. Plenty of ice cream (I hope you had some too!). Boston was great...it's such a fun city, I do think. A little nutty with three kids, but you know, an adventure to be sure. We did a mix of both family outings (we opted for the mellow-ish Aquarium...and it was just our pace), and then, thanks to my dear and very brave sister and her beau, Steve and I had some time for wandering around on our own, which was a bit heavenly. I always feel slightly like a country mouse in a city - it's so alive -I just want to sit and watch and take it all in - the architecture, the sounds, the people. (Flickr birthday set here, by the way).
I must say that my favorite birthday moment, though, was arriving at a very special beach in a gorgeous afternoon fog, and finding it all to ourselves for a bit. Running barefoot on the sand, splashing in the waves with my little ones, watching and hearing the waves crash on the rocks nearby....Wow. That moment - and the mix of contentment, bliss, and love that I felt at that moment - was the best birthday present ever. 30 already is a very good year.