My birthday

This had to have been the best birthday ever. It started at Minute 1 with a birthday song from my niece and nephew (they're coming for a week in July, so I'm saving up for major spoiling) and then Joe called to sing to me. Sigh...Went for breakfast with my Mom, then went to the lake, talked to my Dad before he checked into the hospital for a maintenance blood transfusion (we call it a 'lube job' in our stressed, twisted humor after 2 1/2 years of being in Cancer World) and Dad sang to me in Ukrainian. Just half a song, he said, because he'll do the other half when he gets out of the hospital.

My friend Jen took me out shoe shopping. I'm officially hooked on heels. How did I live so long in flats and barefoot? We bonded with a fellow shoe shopper and laughed over the gaudiness of some of the gold strappies I was considering for my bridesmaid's shoe, then settled on 5 pairs of heels: pink, silver, the gold for the wedding, orange, and a copper-colored 3-incher. I am now buying shoes to match my lingerie. $19 sale, so I got the five pairs for about 1/7th of a pair of Christian Laboutons. Which I now know about because I am a shoe girl. It gets better....

Now the glowing, radiant, breathtaking part...Joe showed up with an ENORMOUS smiley face balloon and five minty-colored balloons, and he made me wait a few minutes while he set something up in my bedroom. Hmmmm....I was expecting a Spiderman costume (which we'd joked about) but when he came back out he wasn't Spidey. But he did have five boxes waiting for me on my bed. SHOES! Same wavelength. They were the ones I had seen in a catalog and loved. Maribou kitten heels, black pointy-toes, copper wedges and really pretty black crossed-toe stilettos. I couldn't believe he remembered...it literally was an "Oh, these are pretty!" while I was flipping through the catalog.

We ate chinese food and enjoyed the rest of the evening, with me in my heels and him lighting up the room just by his presence. He sang Happy Birthday to me in Polish and got me a little ice cream cake. Not enough room on the cake for 37 candles, so he stopped at 20. NICE. Shoes, ice cream, and hot, thoughtful, amazing man. Does it get any better than this? I gave him the love letter I was finally able to write, even though words just can't do it. For the first time in my life, I can't find the perfect words. Oh, and Joe sent me an MP3 of Sting's "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" which I've been playing, dancing to, singing to, and playing for everyone who came over to wish me a happy birthday. Amazing rendition. Joe put a lot of time and effort into all of my birthday surprises, and I'm so, so, so thankful to have this wonderful person in my life. Best birthday present ever. Better than 10 pairs of shoes, better than ice cream...

And now it's a new day....just found a card he left for me on my computer keyboard, a little 'I Love You' card that I have propped next to his picture. Talked to my Dad in the hospital and he sounds fabulous, so all is well and work is calling. I'll be writing two chapters today, after running some errands for the family and being on call to pick up my Dad from the hospital when he's released. Think I'll wear the copper wedges for that...

My friend Jill says the years ending in -7 are the best ones. Certainly looks that way to me.