*48*

"I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship."
Louisa May Alcott

I wait for the Lord, My soul does wait,
And in His word do I hope.
My soul waits for the Lord
More than the watchmen for the morning;
Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.
O, Israel, hope in the Lord;
For with the Lord there is lovingkindness,
And with Him is abundant redemption.
~Psalm 130~

These quotes are from the birthday card my husband left for me on the table this morning. It was a wonderful greeting to find waiting for me after a long and luxurious night's sleep. Aaah, the privilege of a birthday.

Today I will not teach. I will not cook. I'd say I will not be grouchy, but we've already had some cross moments. But that doesn't discourage me. We can always start fresh.

I have requested a strange combination of things for my birthday. A dump run may not sing your song, but it sure does mine. So does another load donated to the local thrift store. I have flowers and plants to fill in the front porch pots, and a trip to make to the nursery to get herbs for my windowsill boxes. My offspring have chores to do for me: power washing the house, helping me to paint a wall, cooking those meals I am not cooking, and other beautification tasks.

There are a few more foofy items on my list. My dear mother has given me a gift certificate for a spa pedicure. Just the thought makes me smile. Nothing says "luxury" to me like a pedicure. I also asked my daughter to make several pairs of earrings from our huge stash of bead supplies. She's quite a craft queen, so I now have six new pairs!

Tonight my husband and I are going to sneak out for some wine tasting at our favorite restaurant. We'd have dinner there, too, but on Monday I am having my final birthday luxury -- four hours of house cleaning help. We'll save money and have dinner at home. Deep cleaning is the perfect finale for my birthday, and it's a great way to start the school year.

Oh, and there is a stack of books, too. Some were found on amazon.com with gift certificates, and some were from half-price day at the thrift store. When I am done working today, I will have to choose where to dig in. What a delicious problem. Book details coming tomorrow.