Surprise!

I had a lovely birthday. We started at 9 with German chocolate pie, and presents. Justin SURPRISED me! If you have ever driven with me you know I love Eva Cassidy, I have all of her CDs, even the one that isn't the best. She died 10 years ago, and all of the albums were released after her death, and I thought I had them all because would Eva's friends really have been smart enough to know to record more than 5 albums worth of music... so imagine my surprise when I opened a present and found a brand new Eva album! Justin reminded me that he got me American Tune 5 years ago... I had mentioned to him that I would love it (which I do). He was really excited that I was surprised, and I was really excited to have a great new CD to add to my collection. (Music is to Me as Movies are to Justin.) I had no idea that they had released another one, and it is good.

Justin also got me a membership to the Columbia gym. It has been a year since my going to the gym and losing weight days, and the thing I found out is I do not lose weight if I am not going to a gym. I can't make myself walk fast enough, and for some reason I can when I am hooked to a machine. So I went yesterday and did a half hour on the elliptical. I'll work my way up to weight training.

Justin also got me some lovely lace weight yarn so I can try my hand at that. I've been knitting for a year, and after hats and scarves and baby sweaters and vests and a huge blanket, I am ready for a new challenge. (I haven't shown you the blanket yet because I have to weave in ends, and I want to add a row to make it wider.)

Thank you to all the other gifts, I'd name them but I'd leave someone out, but I loved them and can't wait to use them. :)

We had our friends meet us at the lookout in Riverside Park. It was such a lovely evening! the weather was perfect, and it was so nice to sit and talk and see that we aren't alone here! As Justin was inviting people he kept saying, this is a lot of people. I don't know if you know, but I have a horrible history with parties... like my 18th birthday when I invited 20 people and 2 people came. (My sister says it's because I have a confident façade so people don't realize that I actually really would like them to be my friend.) Well, New York must have made my façade crumble, because we had a great turn out. And it was perfect, just a relaxing evening in the trees and loving over the Hudson. Thank you for coming those of you who check this and came! It really was a lovely gift for me to have a pleasant evening and be reminded that I do have "family" around (even though we aren't technically related).

The only sad thing is the battery in my Rebel (fancy camera) died and we couldn't find the charger ANYWHERE. Not in the desk, or on the desk, or near the table, or in any of the outlets, or in or around Reuben's crib, and not in any of his toy boxes, and not on any of the shelves, and not on top of the fridge, and not on our bedside or my craft table or under the bed or in the medicine cabinet. I am very very sad about this development, Justin has hope that we will find it, but I'm price checking to order a new one...because we looked everywhere! That is the nice thing about only having 560 square feet, you can look everywhere in a couple hours.

Today I get a hair cut, and I am preparing sharing time, and I have to play the piano at a baptism which I am scared to death to play the piano because the secret is I am not very good at playing the piano, and I have been practicing all week and I still make mistakes and my fingers aren't even shaking at home. And then Justin and I are going on a date. :)