... also known as my birthday week. Thank the good Lord for friends and family because quite frankly they really help me "celebrate" birthdays I'm just am not excited to have. (I'm not old enough to be that number!!!!) I did have a good week and work is improving. I'm learning more and more of the medical terms and can actually speak of procedures and know what I'm talking about and I found time to paint here and there but the best part of all...

CUPCAKES

I had dinner with a close group of girlfriends here in St. Louis and we ate
CUPCAKES!

Then Phil, Becca and Kennedy took me for a birthday picnic in the park today and we ate CUPCAKES!

Kennedy isn't allowed to have cupcakes yet and she might be a little sad about that

But instead of being blue she decided she would eat her dad's hat. Yum!

I had some close friends that hosted a "See Ya" party this past weekend. When I looked around the room I was just floored at the quality of people in the room and to think these people call me friend -- so talented, funny, smart, artistic, witty, encouraging... WOW - how BLESSED!!!! I particularly remember meeting my dear friend Samantha when I first moved to Southern California. She was in a book study group I was part of and I just thought of her as just another beautiful L.A. blond and dismissed her (I know - how awful of me!!!) She spoke to me after our meeting and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked talking to her - kind, genuine, curious, asking me more questions about myself than my mother and truly appeared to be truly interested. We ended up talking over coffee and I completely enjoyed her company and our conversation. (Why was I so quick to judge?)

Finally after a couple of hours and well past our work night bedtimes, we said good bye and she gave me the most interesting funny compliment I think I've ever received. She said, " You know, if I were a man I would want to date you." I laughed and knew I had found my new best friend. Over the years we have done a great deal of traveling together and I've enjoyed every single minute. But mostly I've enjoyed our conversations, about life encompassing dating, marriage, art, writing, books our hopes and disappointments. I know the conversation will continue even if we live exactly 1,833 miles away!