ashes, gratitude, and me

so today was ash wednesday. i like this part... comes in the winter, right when i'm starting to get those little twinges of desperation for spring. almost like the church says it for me..."oh yeah, lent is coming...it's okay i'm feeling at the end of my rope. this is where we all hold hands and pull a little tighter to make it through the rest of the winter til easter..." i'm quite grateful for it.

i'm also grateful for my family. they were quite sweet today. i got calls from EVERYONE...my sister, my dad, both moms, my nephews left me a HILARIOUS message that i loved...i talked to my nieces, too, and my bil called. my nephew, baby s, gave me his valentine he made in daycare today, my sil (and bil) gave me two books that i look forward to reading, and N gave me a kitchen aide mixer that i'm really, really excited about. i woke up feeling grateful and it's amazing how the day was this parade of why i woke up feeling that way. i'm so glad i didn't screw it up by waking up in a crappy mood.

so i'm thirty-four now. one friend sent me an email asking if i'd turned 22 and bil and sil gave me a card saying "happy 29th birthday"... these folks must think i'm going to be rich one day... i do have TWO grey hairs, don't you know? i feel a little better...a little wiser...those hairs make me feel sexier for some reason.

my prayer today? thank you, thank you, thank you , of course...
peace

ps--and if it's your birthday today, too...here's something for you.