Day Nineteen: Happy Birthday to Me!!!

Courtesy of NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day

Amazing isn't it?

NASA has this great thing on their website, the "Astronomy Picture of the Day," and this is today's photo. The image portrays a cluster of the brightest stars found in space - quite appropriate for my birthday, don't you think? - with new stars forming in the orangish-red gas to the left. Burning bright while witnessing the birth of something new; Quite poetic, I think.

It's been a wonderful day. It started off with kisses and hugs this morning before I was even out of bed from my three boys. I had e-cards waiting for me in my mailbox and an email from Cheryl titled "Bush Bumper Stickers." Totally made me laugh and I must share a few of my favorites here:

That's OK I Wasn't Using My Civil Liberties Anyway

Bush. Like a Rock. Only Dumber.

America: One Nation, Under Surveillance

Cheney/Satan '08

Jail to the Chief

Bush: God's Way of Proving Intelligent Design is Full of Crap

Bush Doesn't Care About White People Either

What Part of "Bush Lied" Don't You Understand?

2004: Embarrassed; 2005: Horrified; 2006: Terrified

At Least Nixon Resigned

Today I am also grateful for:

• My husband who regularly uses words like "megalomaniac"
• My four year old's preschool holiday show. It was adorable. Lots of music, some crying (not from my son thank goodness) and so much cuteness I thought my heart might burst right there in the school cafeteria/auditorium
• Hebert's Candy Mansion which I visited today and bought some sinfully delicious white chocolate
• My sister Julie who sent me a link to the song "Happy Birthday" by New Kids on the Block (before they tried to go street and became NKOTB). My older son decided it was the perfect song to slow dance with his mother to and, again, my heart was near bursting. Then at the end of the song he cupped my face in his hands and said with one of the most endearing smiles I've ever seen, "I love you, Mommy."
• My family who came over tonight to share in a plate of spaghetti and meat sauce and some good old birthday cake.
• My husband - again - for making such a delicious meal and for doing the dishes afterward and for making this such a wonderful birthday day.

Yes, I am one of the lucky ones and it's days like these that make me wonder how I got so lucky :)