32!

It was my birthday on Monday! I turned 32. It's nice to be a power of 2. Although the day itself was quiet and devoted to going to work and rehearsals, I still had some nice celebrations. I realized that we did the same sort of thing this year for my birthday as we did last year:

There was the family dinner out at a local restaurant, this time at Brasilian barbecue:

But this year, look how big Matthias is! He's becoming his own little person:

A. is fascinated by the flame. M. is just happy.

Clap, monkey, clap!

Dave took me out to dinner in Brooklyn. So hip at Buttermilk Channel! Here I am with my whole grilled black bass, so delicious:

And a beautiful bouquet from Nancy and her family. It's a burst of spring in a week when we're sliding back into winter:

Of course, the biggest difference in this year's birthday is that Dave and I could return from dinner to the same home. He's not packing his bags, getting in the car, and making the long drive back to Michigan. The "shrine to Dave" photo mobile he gave me is still hanging in our bedroom, but it serves as a reminder of happy memories, not a stand-in for his actual presence. He's been here for five months now, but it still feels like a miracle.