I was a little sad not to be 42 anymore, but I think 43 is going to be another good and important year in my life and I'm glad to be it! 2023 has been my year to finally be free (of a marriage/husband gone bad and an oppressive, long, and difficult divorce process), and so is 43. It's a fresh start to the next chapter of my life, and I'm excited for it!
We went to breakfast at Pancake Man, where due to a fluke with the machine, my hot chocolate wasn't hot, but I enjoyed it anyway.
I took some time later that morning to relax and read on the couch...
...with the August Dishscape on in the background. Heaven!
John and my mom went shopping and brought home a bouquet of red roses for me. Pale pink roses are my favorite but my mom misremembered and got red instead. It's okay, I'll take red roses (and any roses) anytime. I love all roses!
I brought the boys to the lake beach in the afternoon and read while they played in the water. I was reading my new (autographed!) Ruth Ware book.
This lake beach is special to me because we started coming here when John was in preschool and when I was pregnant with Sam.
It's me, the birthday girl!
We went out to dinner at the Brazilian Grill, which, as always, was delicious.
On the way home from dinner, we stopped at Bay View Beach for a few minutes for the boys to play. I get a kick out of saying they "play" since they're teenagers now, but that is indeed what it is!
And wrestle. Anytime, anywhere for John...
Poor Sam!
Again!
When we got home we had ice cream cake and did presents.
I liked my presents and cards very much; they were all thoughtful and sweet. Some of them, literally!
Jennifer got me the vintage Nancy Drew book (I collect those) and the heart sunglasses, both of which I had picked out when we had gone shopping two days earlier. They were my favorites! What can I say, I know myself well. 😉
A heartfelt message from John 😆
I set up my cards around my lamp for the rest of the week until we left. It was still my birthday week, after all!
It was a nice birthday, and I think it's going to be a good year for me. It's going pretty well so far!
(KNOCK ON WOOD!)
