Happy Birthday to...

Me!!!

My birthday was AMAZING!!!

It started at 12:02 a.m. when Jon and I were finally heading to bed.  He turned to me and sang me Happy Birthday, it was pretty sweet.

I woke up just after 8:00 to my happy little family.   About ten minutes after we made our way out of bed my Mom called me on Skype.  So by 8:30 a.m. I had already been sung to twice.  I opened my birthday present that my parents sent me all the way from Texas.  I immediately tried it on, it is so cute.  You'll see what I got by the time your done reading this post.  I got ready for the day and what did my reflection show me on this glorious birthday of mine - well 2 new zits, yup - you would think I was turning 13 not 32.  :o)  I cleaned up the house a little bit and made my way over to Katrin's so we could get some sunshine at the lake.

The lake was so much fun!

Alessandra enjoyed her time in the water and 

I enjoyed getting my little present and cake.  

Thanks Katrin!!

:o)

I had to add this picture sequence - 

Alessandra didn't want her hat on - 

meanwhile Sofia's just wondering where her shirt went.  

I love these girls!

We were running a bit late, but we made it home so I could...
get cleaned up,

and into my brand new birthday dress (thanks M&M), 

find another birthday present (a cute, red, mommy basket),
and hustle out of the house just in time.  

In time for what?  

Well, a 1961 Opel, that's what.

All original - All awesome!

You would have thought we were getting a ride in a space ship the way everyone was checking us out.  

I felt like royalty, so I waved at everyone and they all waved back.

I Definitely felt like a princess!

Jon had arranged for the owner of mondschein, a little restaurant here in Leipzig, to come and pick us up and take us to his restaurant.  He got out of his 50 year old classic, bowed and told me Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag.  I just turned to Jon with a blank look on my face and then he mouthed "Happy Birthday".  I blushed and told him Danke.  Then he asked if English would be better and I said "Yes please, if that's okay with you." He gently helped me into the car before popping a bottle of bubbly for Jon and I to share on the way to his restaurant.  While he drove he told us what we could expect from the evening.    

At his restaurant they do dark dinning.  We would be able to pick our menu but we wouldn't know what was on our menu until after we had finished the meal.  He told us about the restaurant and how he started it.  He explained that we wouldn't be able to see anything and that all of the wait staff is blind or seeing impaired.  I had an idea of what to expect but nothing prepared me for what it was.    

First of all unless you have been to mondschein, or spelunking without lights you won't understand what I'm about to explain to you, but I'll do my best.  The waiter led us into the room, he held onto my hands while Jon held onto my shoulders.  We went around a few corners and as we turned left, then right, then left again, I couldn't see anything AT ALL.  It was pitch black.  The darkness crept in all around me and the emptiness began to have weight.  It almost felt as if I was being smothered.  But then it gave way, or rather I gave way and just accepted the darkness.  It was so strange and yet so comforting.  

It's amazing how things change when you can't see.  Jon and I talked like we did back in college when we would fall asleep on the phone with one another.  Because we couldn't see each other we automatically walked more carefully through the conversation just like we had learned to do so many years ago.  We held hands and fed each other our food, and because we couldn't see we ate most of the meal with our hands.  It was so romantic and messy, grown up and fun.  I loved it!  I never realized how much seeing your food or the knowledge of what you're going to eat plays into the taste of the food.  When you don't have your eyes there telling you what your eating you taste everything with a new tongue.  It was so much fun trying to figure out what it was that we were eating.

Our meal was over before we knew it and we made our way back outside to find all of our friends and Alessandra waiting to sing to me one more time.  So by 8:30 p.m. I had been sung to three times (it was definitely a great birthday). We enjoyed one more drink and a few more hugs and then we headed home.  

Jon needs to be very careful because every year he out does himself from the year before and he makes it even harder for himself the next year.  All I have to say is he better start planning now if he wants to keep up this streak!

I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who helped make today so memorable.  And a special thank you to Alessandra's very first babysitter Anne (you're the best!)!!

Charmian