A Day To Myself....Welcoming 26.

For most people, my friends anyway, turning 25 is the most excitement they'll have for a birthday between ages 21 and 30. I had the same high hopes for my 25th birthday and was more than let down; not just on my birthday, but continually throughout the entire year. I could not wait to turn 26 and leave the past year behind me. Good riddance, twenty five! 

summer birthdays require ice cream cake

In any event, Tuesday was my birthday. Growing up, I never got a chance to celebrate my birthday in school and would have to wait almost a month after school got out to *hopefully* get all my friends together. Since my birthday falls dead in the middle of summer, a lot of my friends and their families were already on vacation at this point. 

Moving along....

Tuesday I decided to ditch everyone and spend the day, alone, at the beach. I told my trainer I wasn't going to ride, I told my friends I'd be unavailable, and I told myself to just soak in the sun and bask in peace and quiet. It was FABULOUS.

At our family friends' beach house

My parents separation fell two days before my birthday when it occurred, talk about putting a damper on the party. I spend every year trying to ignore the obvious: it hurts. Each of my parents tries in their own way to make my birthday special, probably in some way hoping I can for one day, ignore the pain that is constantly flowing through me. I'm only human, after all. 

This year, I was surprised however when my father told me, that him and my mother collaborated to find me a gift, and a cake that they knew I would like. Okay, let's be real people: my mother instructed my father on what to do but collaboration sounds much more "team" like. Round of applause to them. Birthday: success on all fronts.

Dad and me on the beach after dinner