32

Last Wednesday was my 32nd birthday, and it was a hectic day at work: meetings, data analysis, new deadlines. I missed almost all of my birthday phone calls as I was in the lab or in a meeting, which was such a bummer. Living three time zones away from our family makes it really difficult to talk on the phone, unless it's the weekend. That's one thing that will be simplified by our upcoming move.

Still, with all that said, it was a lovely birthday. The sun was shining and it was warm enough to wear capris and short sleeves. My boys treated me to breakfast, so no cooking for me. My office mate, who is also my best friend, surprised me with balloons, fancy coffee, chocolate, and an iTunes gift card upon my arrival at work. I got lots of loving messages and emails from family and friends. My lab mates sang 'Happy Birthday' during lab meeting. And, after work, we went to the park with my best friend and her family so the kids could play, and we had burritos, tacos, and cupcakes. I'm really very lucky.

I wish I had something really deep to say about the year ahead or had grand plans for the upcoming year. For the time being, I feel like I'm just working hard to keep my head above water and figure out what comes next for our little family. To be honest, it's hard not to be weepy as I celebrate my last birthday in Seattle. But I know that's not productive, so instead of being sad, I'll try to fill my heart with gratitude for all the people that helped to make my birthday so special.

So, thank you.