"Happy Birthday"

This weekend we celebrated my 39th birthday. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I really am 39 and not just saying I'm 39 because I am actually 43! I totally embrace 39 and have been telling E and my friends that instead of a single day, I want to spend the next year partying my way into the big 4-0. My college friends from the states have already started the planning process for next summer when we all be 40 within a few months of each other. My friend Kristen used to be the one that was furthest away - always in California whilst the rest of us were on or near the East Coast. This time I thought I would get the award for traveling the farthest. I mean I do live in Africa no? Apparently Kristen has decided to move to Bali. Humpf!

Regardless, 39 turned out better than I thought. I had a little pool party with some of my mommy friends and their kids (complete with champagne and juice boxes), cake and more champagne w E and the kids and another Girls' Night Out at a rooftop terrace in Lagos. I am generally thankful that in a few short months I have made enough friends here to actually organize a Girl's Night Out. Even better, they are the kind of friends you can have champagne with at a 4 o'clock playdate and no one raises an eyebrow! 

E and I have not been very big on traditional presents the past few years. It seems like we are always on one side or another of some major transition - moving to, moving back, moving in; so our presents tend to get lost in the shuffle. Years ago, when we owned our first house E asked me what I wanted for Valentine's Day -  I asked for a coffee table. We hadn't had a proper coffee table in months and I refused to have people over until we did. When I was 30, I indulged in a spa weekend with the college girls in Connecticut, at 35 we pulled it off again at a seaside resort in New Hampshire. A few years ago we opted for Boca Raton. One year I think E's birthday present was a railride on the famous Ghan from Melbourne to Adelaide where he hunted down the elusive "Meat Pie Floater". I've asked for flights to Boston, gym memberships, concert tickets, even a crockpot. I've bought E everything from new knives, to a Vitamix blender, to the entire James Bond ultimate DVD collection (21 discs: Dr. No to Casino Royale - very cool).

Before we moved to Lagos, we bought an obscene amount of things. Correction - I bought an obscene amount of things. So there is very little I feel like either of us needs. And since our bucket list just keeps getting longer and we have an amazing opportunity to actually check some of those places of our list, we've decided to invest in experiences, not stuff. In just a few weeks we are indulging in a 10 day trip to Cape Town, South Africa. E has booked us into a gorgeous boutique hotel on a vineyard complete with tours and activities of the surrounding area - Table Mountain National Park, Victoria & Albert Waterfront, Robben Island. The second part of our trip will be along the coast, in Hermanus where we can explore endless beaches, look for whales, and just tinker around the little towns - one of my favorite things to do. Sounds like a great way to start what I suspect will be a very full year!

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