My Birthday (2008)

A lot of my co-workers have been asking how I spent my birthday. Since my birthday this year coincided with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, I was lucky enough to get the day off. Because it was a 3-day weekend, my friends at work have been speculating that it must have been a wild, crazy and extravagant weekend. Haha - this just goes to show how little people here know me. My birthday was anything but wild, crazy and extravagant. I got to spend the weekend shopping with my hubby, having lunch with friends on one day, going for dimsum with family on another, and on my birthday itself - I spent the day all alone.

That may sound kind of sad but honestly it was a good kind of "alone". The kind where you can indulge yourself in doing and eating the things you most enjoy. The kind where "me, myself and I" take priority over everything else. The kind where I can just let myself be me. After weeks of having guests and family stay over and going on out-of-town trips, eating out, shopping and sightseeing - I needed some down time. Of course that's not to say I don't have a blast when I'm in the company of my family and friends - and yes, going out is a lot of fun too. But sometimes, being alone, and having the whole house to yourself, and not having a schedule to follow, and just staying in, and spending the whole day in your comfy flannel pajamas ... well, that can be a blast too.

On my birthday, since Jojo had to work, I took my time waking up, had coffee and cereal while watching HGTV and Food Network shows, I browsed through my emails and surfed the net till it was time for lunch. I leisurely made my favorite comfort food and had it with my hubby who came home to join me. After lunch, I alternated between napping and watching a tv movie. The rest of the afternoon, I snuggled on the couch with a fleece throw and some hot apple cider sprinkled with cinnamon powder while reading Greg Mortenson's super inspiring book "Three Cups of Tea". All the while the rain fell lightly and made the day gloomy and cold (could it have been any more perfect for me?). By the time it started getting too dark to read, I soaked in a long hot bath and was so relaxed and definitely ready to welcome family over for dinner. It was great not having to prepare all that much since my sisters-in-law took care of most of the food. They even ordered and brought my birthday cake. Then came birthday presents and sharing strawberry ice cream with the kids but the best part was my hubby shooing me away from doing the dishes just because it's my special day.

It was such a perfect day I could not ask for anything more. It was also really nice too to get phone calls, birthday cards, presents, emails and text messages from family and friends both here and abroad to remind me that they remembered my special day and to let me know how much I am loved. Thanks to everyone who helped make my special day even more special!