Happy Birthday to ME!

While home this past week, I was able to visit Jazz on her birthday (the 10th.) During our visit we determined that turning 22 could be summed up in one word, nondescript.

I was confident of this description...that was until today happened.

My day started out good 'n slow, just the way I like it. Brian had come home from working nights and slipped into bed without waking me, allowing me a lovely birthday morning sleep-in. Shortly after waking up, I received my first phone call of the day. It was none other than my beloved Sydni Sue! She had a sleepover with Papi and Nani so I was able to launch this day by talking to all three of them, right off the bat. Next I enjoyed a Meg favorite, a loooooong, HOT shower.
Brian slept a few short hours and then stumbled out of our bedroom, muttering, "Now can I give you your birthday present...?!" (He'd been begging me since the moment I returned to The 'Couve yesterday to let him give me my gift.)

 Happy Birthday to me! Here's my pretty new necklace! In general, diamonds may not be this girl's best friend but cocoa diamonds surely are a nice touch. :)

This one's for you, Tess. This is me showing you that yes, these arm holes...I can rock them.

Okay, let me explain, when I opened my gift from Tess and held up this shirt, she freaked when she saw the above open arms. Apparently she didn't notice them when she chose the shirt in the store and proceeded to purchase it for me?! haha
Well the good news, Tess, I wore the shirt today and I love it! Thanks so much!

On our trek back the car after hiking around the falls, I told Brian I *had* done my hair for the day but it had just endured some serious abuse, all thanks to the huge waterfall. ;) He said, "So what you're really saying is, you'd been kissed by nature." I liked that. So I made no effort to fix it for the rest of the day. I let that hair hang low any way it wanted. I was simply sporting the "nature-kissed, b'day glow" look. :)
After the falls we hit up one of my favorite places in Ptown, the Hawthorne district. Brian drove me from store to store and trudged around behind me from consigner's booth to yet another 100 consigner's booths. Each time I asked his opinion he tried his best to patiently remind me that to him, old stuff is gross and where I delight in the 70's, he disgusts. BUT, he insisted that we do this because he knows how much it gets me jazzed. How's that for showering birthday love?!
Vintage Pink, Lounge Lizard, and the impeccable new Goodwill outlet are all fun, but if you're like me and on the lookout for an amazing selection of thrifty finds in all their quirky glory, House of Vintage blows the rest of them out of the water.
After doing the rounds, we decided to head north, bring Finn home and chill out, just the three of us for a bit. Being home didn't last long, Brian told me that the birthday wasn't over until 12:01 so we hit the road...again. This time with Ptown's 23rd Ave as our destination of choice.

We enjoyed a quick, cheap dinner at Escape from N.Y. before proceeding onto bigger, better things at Papa Haydn's. (Click on the link if you're prepared to salivate over their dessert menu.)
Papa Haydn's was a bustlin' place with a 20 minute wait to be seated so we went for a little walk and did some window shopping.

The one in the front was my shoe pic of the night.

I used to find it a bother that my birthday, the day before Valentine's Day, was quite defined by pink and red and hearts. Looking at these window displays, I don't know what was wrong with me, they're so cute!

Oh Lucky, I think I'll always like you... :)

So many brilliant chandys!

This store made us think of our little Finn. It's a good thing they were closed or we would have ended up inside. Brian and I inside a specialty pooch shop has proven to be a very dangerous thing.

Ether, my favorite store on 23rd. Once again, good thing they were closed. ;)

We found the PB&J food cart! Long story short, we'd heard about this place, even been asked by other people on the street where it was, but never been able to find it. Well, we finally did!

I couldn't help but notice this sight. This is the color from a pub sign reflecting on a rainy bistro table outside McMenamin's.

A close up of Brian's dessert...

"Marjolaine"

Chocolate Mousse and hazelnut-praline cream piped between layers of toasted hazelnut meringue. Topped with crème fraiche and French vanilla-chocolate.

Me and my birthday dessert. :)

"Raspberry Gateau"

Fallen chocolate souffle topped by whole berries and red current glaze. Bordered with bittersweet chocolate ganache.

Us, happy from the inside out. :)

And then there's my little love that always welcomes me home with such excitement it can't even be described. Together really is our favorite place to be. Finnolay, I love you; you're the best little friend EVER.

Today was many things...
carefree.
meaningful,
memorable,
and all things Meganville.
Nondescript, I think not! Thank you, Brian [and Finn], for sharing this day with me. Thank you for showing me that no day must be a certain, pre-determined way. Thank you for reminding me that each new day is what we choose to make it. Thank you, God, for giving me this perfect day. Thank you for another day, another year to be reminded of all the little blessings that surround me, not just on my birthday but everyday.

Each day truly is a gift.

This morning I posted this as my status on Facebook... (At the time, it seemed so fitting for "my" day and that was before this special day even really began.)

"Come, thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace; streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise!

...Prone to wander, Lord...here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above."