Some catchup: Birthday

So it's definitely time for some catchup, which I think is a great idea because (1) I need to document, even if it's almost two weeks behind, and (2) I'd rather think about what I was doing at home two weeks ago than think about being back in Provo and back at school, where this semester has been a harder adjustment than before. (Yeah, it's been a HP week. . . .)

Anyway, my birthday.

Yup, I'm 22. Weird. We celebrated my birthday two days ahead of time for a couple of different reasons. At first we decided to celebrate early, because my actual birthday fell on the day before we were going to leave for Utah, and who can adequately celebrate when performing last minute packing and everything for moving back out to school? And then the Monday celebration plan seemed even more inspired when my surgery was scheduled for the day before my birthday. So Monday the 24th it was.

We just had a laid-back, relaxed sort of day. Ha I got to kick off my birthday celebration day by going to the doctor to sign surgery forms--awesome. But after that, we got to go to Costco (or maybe Sam's--I can't remember), and we watched Bones, made dinner--roast, mashed potatoes, gravy, angel biscuits--went to the shoe store so I could buy a new pair of Danskos, and had a wonderful dinner with cake and all the trimmings. It was a wonderful day and felt completely like my birthday, even though it wasn't.

Now, on to birthday gift documentation--this year was a bounty of gifts of domesticity!

A chocolate brown tea kettle.

A really nice stainless steel stock pot.

A set of ten drinking glasses with--yes, you are correct--polka dots.

A set of eight to-die-for-cute Target plates with two matching bowls.

Super, super cute flatware from Susan. The green flatware is mine. Not the black or red in that drawer, but the shiny green.

Not pictured is a red garlic press, green carrot peeler, and stainless steel pastry cutter thing. Plus a really nice baking pan and a pie plate. I also got several pieces of cute clothing, including a way cute black sweater and the sexiest pair of jeans I've ever owned.

Oo, and Mom and Dad gave me an ampersand bookend. I love being able to decorate with punctuation.

I opened these shoes at the beginning of my birthday celebration day.

Susan's package was full of stylish and wonderful goodness. Case-in-point: this chocolate brown taffeta wraparound dress. Whoa.

Four-inch, black patent leather, t-strap, Mary Jane, peep-toe, platform stilettos: everything a shoe should be. Thanks, Susan.

I also received some of Jill's awesome stationery, on which I plan to write a few thank-you notes, and Rachelle and her boyfriend, Ben, gave me some really nice turquoise and pearl jewelry with matching earrings plus a set of peace sign earrings. It was a great birthday, and I loved every part of it. Even my actual birthday--day one of post-op recovery--wasn't so bad. I got another box of Froot Loops (my standard birthday cereal choice and the third box of the week) and had fun seeing friends who stopped by to wish Emily and I farewell.

So now I'm 22 and ironically don't feel old enough to be 22 (not that 22 is so aged) or old enough to be a college senior. What happened?!

Well, regardless of me having no clue how I got to be a quasi-adult, at least I had a ShamFun day. And, I mean, look at that cake? Turning 22 is totally worth it.