november 4

yesterday was my birthday. it was better than most. i had done my family party (parents, both sets of grandparents, my sister & brother and their families, and jon's brother and his family) the night before, and i wasn't expecting anything grand. someone brought me a gift at work with a cabbage patch helium balloon, which i particularly enjoyed. i love how the stuff that was popular when i was a kid is coming back in. i had gotten a gift in the mail from jon last week, but waited until my birthday to open it. he was able to call, so i opened it up while on the phone with him. it was a brass turtle with pearl spots on the shell, and when you push on the tail, the shell is lifted revealing its identity as a box. there was a necklace and bracelet inside. if you know me, you know i'm not much of a jewelry person...but my husband seems to be beginning to change that. the necklace is silver with these navy blue stones...hmm...i'm doing an absolutely horrible job explaining it. the coolest part, though, is the bracelet. it's very persian- think princess jasmine of aladdin fame. the bracelet has a chain that connects to a ring. i would love to wear this jewelry, but it could only be worn with just the right outfit...which i am now on a hunt to find. it would be easier to find something to wear only the necklace with, but i think it would be so cool to wear all of it.

last night i went to josh & amy's for my annual cappuccino pie. i'm realizing more and more how tradition-oriented and nostalgic i am. my mom has made this pie for my birthday for probably the last 5 or 6 years- i don't think it'd feel like my birthday without it. i wasn't expecting one this year, but when i got to my sister's for the family party, my mom handed me the pie to take home with me. yay!

the only thing that could have made my day any better would have been to spend it with my husband. it's days like that that i miss him the most. our birthdays, our first christmas, our first anniversary- will all be spent apart. it helps to have other family around me, but it's not the same. on the up side, november 15 will mark official "6 down, 6 to go day"- soon and very soon...