2-8

well it's here. my birthday. i was wondering how i would cope, considering the last few birthdays i've been celebrating the way i like: out of the country.

my last birthday was in greece. i was supposed to be on the beautiful island of santorini, but the pilot thought the winds were too strong to land the plane on a small island, so the trip was cancelled. instead, my friend and i spent the day in athens: shopping, sunset & champagne on top of lycabettus hill, dinner at villa mercedes.

the birthday before was in cancun. at a jewelry shop at 8am, i shared a tequila shot with the owner and my sister. snorkeling and canoeing and margaritas and dancing. i might have had a little too much fun though, ask my sister.

so this year, i ran out of vacation days and was resigned to spending my birthday alone in a new city. however, the weekend before, friends came in town. and sunday, my dad's birthday present came: he flew my sister up for the weekend! and then i had a standing dinner date on monday with a friend from work and her husband at trattoria roma. the best prosciutto pizza and red wine and tiramisu. my sister and i topped off the night with champagne cocktails at pops for champagne. on tuesday, my actual birthday, i woke to my sister making cupcakes. so we had cupcakes and coffee for breakfast and watched you've got mail (one of my all time favorites).

i arrived at work and there were cards on my desk from the few people who knew it was my birthday. and another colleague will plan a happy hour...cause we really do need an excuse for one ;) and another friend comes in town on thursday to string the birthday celebration along. and later i'm off to london to visit the queen!

so the big 2-8. no longer mid-twenties. closer to 30. not in a foreign country on a fabulous vacation, but a great birthday in spite of that. i still go to be with my family, taken to dinner, and still got a cake!