Ignoring and Cakes

I have discovered that there are two ways that I like celebrating my birthday.

One way is to ignore it. I did this last year. I like ignoring it, not because I don't like getting older, I actually love getting older, but because there is a slightly mischievous feeling to walking around knowing that it is a special day, and being one of the only ones to know it. I imagine it is what a celebrity feels when they are successfully incognito. 'That cashier has no idea that they just interacted with a birthday-girl!'.

The other way I that I like to celebrate my birthday is to make a ton of desserts and invite anyone/everyone over to have a piece of cake and hang out.

This year, I did both.

My actual birthday was a fairly delightfully normal day. I got paper work done, answered emails, ran some errands, and even helped with a remodel project in the backyard!

It was made quite a bit special though when my dad made sushi for me!

My time in Tulsa has been very brief. So, knowing that I wouldn't get to see as many people as I wanted, I made a ton of desserts and opened my parents' house for people to drop in and say hello.

I love turning all of this:

Into this:

It was such a blessing having so many people drop in to say hello and catch up briefly before I head back overseas. I was especially touched by some friends who dropped in from out of town! I was a bit distracted once guests started showing up, so I don't have pictures of the festivities. These pastry-full pictures will simply have to suffice.

Playing and Working

This week in Tennessee has been full on!

It has been full of playing hard with my two nephews (my sister prefers that her boys not have their picture posted, so you'll just have to imagine their cuteness). I have tossed them around, picked apples with them, tickled them, read to them, even played in the rain with them, and so much more!

I've had debates with my sister (our version of a good time), watched Clueless (because sometimes a good comfort-food-type movie is really what you need), and been able to be a part of her day-to-day life. That included having dinner at a friend's house where there were several deer hanging around!

In the midst of all the fun, I've also had to do some work. I finished dotting all the i's and crossing all the t's for my visa application to India. I really hope that I've done it correctly. I had no idea that it would take so many hours to get everything prepared to send off!

I also have two essays to write as a final cumulative assignment to finish off my MA. I'm done with the first and working on the second. So, here's to finishing well!!!

(An older photo but a similar feeling)

1, 2, 3, 4 States

I left Virginia last week, leaving behind 5 nieces and nephews who tackled me to say goodbye.

Immediately after arriving in Tulsa I left for Texas to visit my grandparents who are in their 90's.

A day after getting back from Texas, I headed out to Tennessee to visit my other sister and her family. Thankfully, my family lives close enough to the airport that despite arriving at the airport an hour before my departure, having forgotten my ID, my dad was able to pick it up and bring it to me so that I didn't miss my flight.

Following a 10 minute run through the Detroit airport, I was the last to board my next plane, 1 minute before they closed the gate. Phewph!

I made it to Tennessee and my reward for nearly missing two flights today is that I'm going out for sushi!