32

Yes, I turned 32 last Thursday and with Ben's early rising schedule of late, I feel it most days.  In my head, I keep likening my thirties to a war (but one I'm glad to be fighting.)  I think at 32 your socks are maybe a bit wet from the swamp but your toes aren't wrinkly yet......You haven't encountered any enemies face to face but still try to stay in top shape to defeat them........the food is awful because you're not starving enough yet that anything tastes good....the real fight or flight hasn't kicked in yet, but there is certainly no turning back now.......you are in the trenches but still appreciating the sun on your face rather than cowering away from it.....I imagine lots of this is status quo till about 34 when the real fear of being closer to 40 than 30 starts to kick in.  I guess I should ask my husband about that!

My celebrations this year were wonderful.  It's great to spend a birthday with extended family after many years apart.  Wednesday night Ryan's mom cooked a delicious dinner as she was flying out the next day.  (wow, the rest of this post is mostly gonna be about food:)  On the big day, Ben and I joined Molly downtown for lunch at Illegal Pete's and a leisurely stroll and photog session on the way back to her office.  I hurried home to cook my Grandma Theresa's breaded pork tenderloin, Great Aunt Mae's wild rice casserole, and wedge salads complete with blue cheese crumbles and fresh bacon.  Yum! Yum!  It was a tedious job but well worth it.  Thankfully, MeeMee had stopped by pre-dinner to drop off flowers and hug her favorite daughter on her birthday.  Her help wrangling Ben was the only way I got dinner done on time:).  Her visit was also a highlight as she told Ben about falling in love with me in the hospital when I was born just as I had with him when he was.  She said it was actually the day after my birth that she really became smitten as after 36 hours of labor, I 'm not sure she could feel anything on my birthday.  It was so special to me to hear and I certainly have a whole new understanding of that love now that Ben is in my life.  I'll surely be bugging her to retell the story year after year until Ben can tell it himself.

 

Tante was surprised I let him play in the dirt in his Polo chinos :).

huh?

Good photo ops at the Pavilions sign (need to remember)

At that point the celebration was just getting started.  With complete coincidence of it's proximity to my birthday, we joined friends Blake and Betsy for dinner Friday night at their home.  We met them while living in Wichita but they actually made the move to Denver about a year before we did.  It was great to see them and share hints and tip for making the most of the Mile High City.

Saturday started with breakfast with the Laura's (Lou and Towbin) who have been my dear girlfriends for over 13 years, (HOly Man, I am old!!)  I ran home to gather the boys and we headed to MeeMee's to pick up Molly and my Mom and head to Boulder for Ben's (and Molly's) first college basketball game.  JP joined us in Boulder and another nearly 60 degree day made the whole experience all the more delightful.  Ben was in total awe as we entered the stadium with the band playing and people everywhere.  The Coors events center is fairly small as college basketball stadiums go and I was thrilled Ben could take in the action on the court and all around him.  His awe was not unending and I am thankful to all who let Ben do laps around the concourse while I enjoyed the action.  The game was a nail-biter and CU pulled out an amazing 1 point win against a team they should not have beaten.  We made dinner a quick affair with our quickly fading Nugget, but the day week was absolutely wonderful and I am so blessed to have gotten to spend time with so many who are dear to me doing such fun things.

and these aren't even the pretty parts of campus