Birthdays of Note

This time of the year brings several family birthdays. My step-daughter, Margaret, had a birthday February 18th.  She lives in Davenport, Iowa and turned 41. I sent her a gift certificate for a massage and facial.  I hope she gets some guilty pleasure from that as she has just had a baby (Max) who is now two months old and is the dominating factor in her life presently.

Having devoted all her adult life to her career as a successful professor of Political Science, now she has signed up for the role of Mom and its new challenges.  I remember career and motherhood as an extremely stressful and rewarding time in my own life. I know she is very capable of anything and my best wishes go out to Margaret and her family!

Max, her very best Birthday Gift

And, yes, those little babies do grow up to become wonderful adults. February 25th was my oldest daughter's 29th Birthday.  We celebrated Amanda's birthday at Barelas Coffee House in Albuquerque.  Barelas is one of those old family style New Mexican eateries where everyone comes to enjoy home-style eats in a casual relaxed atmosphere.



 Amanda's friend, Mario, was there from San Diego. Ron and I were there.  Mary (her sister) and her partner, Matt, were there along with Matt's sister, Pam, and her partner, Brian.  Gus, Mary's old college friend from UC Santa Barbara, now living and working in Albuquerque joined us, too.  I gave Amanda a pastel landscape of the North Valley Los Poblanes Open Space fields and farms that I painted.



Amanda  and friend Mario with pastel painting I gave her




 


Sisters: Mary and Amanda



Vicki and Ron

Tomorrow, the first of March, I will celebrate my husband, Ron's,  71st birthday.  I made him a cake and a special dinner, with just us to enjoy.  I will be giving him a pastel painting I did.  I hope he likes it.

My new painting for Ron's Birthday

He loves Peeps although I could not fit 71 on the cake

Birthdays are milestones in our lives, sometimes welcome, sometimes despised. For me, they are the opportunity to stop for a few hours in our busy lives and to say: "You are a Special Person in my life."