Twenty-four: A "Little" Birthday

On December 30th, I turned 24. By definition, it's not a "big" birthday. I can drive, I can vote, I can drink. Legally. The "big" birthdays are over for a while. Now it's just a matter of reaching milestones:  the big 3-0, the big 4-0, the big 5-0, etc.

2-4...no big deal, right? I have to disagree.

Many people might label my 24th birthday as boring, but not me. I didn't have a party. That's okay. I didn't do anything crazy. It was just me and the boys hanging out for the day, as usual. However, I did have a host of long-distance well wishes via Facebook, text message, and phone calls, which was very much appreciated.

To celebrate the 24th anniversary of my birth, I embraced every little moment of my day.

While I waited for Brad to get out of the shower (around 1:00AM), I had a mini concert in bed. I listened to Mumford and Sons, the Lumineers, the Black Keys, and various other bands on my iPhone. After Brad got into bed, we had an impromptu dance party to Gangnam Style.

Brad fell asleep around 2:00AM, but I wasn't tired. I stayed up to finish reading The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. Pausch, after finding out he had terminal cancer, began documenting life lessons for his children since he wouldn't be able to deliver them in person. He made videos for them, wrote down notes, delivered a lecture at Carnegie-Mellon University and then adapted the lecture into a very inspiring book.

In honor of Pausch, I cherished every moment of my "little" birthday:

• I had two (yes, two) packets of Apples and Cinnamon oatmeal for breakfast. 
• Brad gave me a beautiful watch and the most creative card. Check out the dog, and Ziggy's new hair. 

• The watch was a touch too big. Off to the mall we went to get a link taken out. Kay's didn't open until 12:30, so Brad and I took a short, but delicious, snack pit stop at Auntie Anne's. 

• After the mall, Brad and I went on an unexpectedly long journey for a pant suit. I needed one for the job fair I'm attending tomorrow. I looked all over, and my non-husband took it in stride. The pillar of patience...no, seriously, he was.

• We ended up at Staples to pick up my new business cards..also for the job fair.

•  And I finally found a pant suit at Ross, which I was able to get approval of from my two favorite fashionistas (Megan and Elizabeth) via pix message conference!

• After Ross, Brad requested to go to Home Depot. He needed some paint for his truck. We got the paint and then walked to the other side of the store, so he could smell the lumber. It's one of his favorite smells and always brings back memories from when he was a kid. 

• We left Home Depot to go grocery shopping together. After we put away the groceries, we treated ourselves to some quality time watching our new favorite show: The Big Bang Theory.

• Then, we went to dinner at my favorite restaurant, El Charro, where Ricardo took excellent care of us. 

• After 23 ounces of tequila-laced deliciousness, we went to the bookstore. I kept glancing at my watch. Not because I wanted to leave, but because I couldn't get over how beautiful it was. Still can't.

•  That night, once we got home, I blew out one lavender vanilla candle before eating a Strawberry Cheesequake blizzard. 
• We watched The Watch, a stupid-funny alien invader comedy with Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, and others.

I finished the day as it started...with my crazy boys.

Laura Ingalls Wilder said, "I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet simple things of life, which are the real ones after all." I get teary-eyed as I reminisce my "boring" day. There is just something so damn special about the look in Rex's eye when he puts his head on my lap or the way Brad smirks when I go into a social butterfly mode with a complete stranger.

I don't need an extravagant party or a big cake on my birthday because I have plenty of what matters most: unconditional love. The sweet simple things aren't little in my book and nor will they ever be.