I woke up on my birthday, next to the love of my life. My phone vibrating next to my pillow woke me up, though I’m always up with the birds on my day off. I looked out the window at the blue sky, and felt the warm foot of the man I adore, slip silently through my tangled sheets to touch my sunburned leg.

I woke up smiling at my reality… and some of you know that last year, I woke up with tears. The polar opposite reality of the moment made me laugh, and he opened one eye and smiled at me.

S- I’m a horrible boyfriend, you should have woken up to flowers and I should be in the kitchen making you breakfast right now.

Here is this beautiful creature- all shiny bald sun-kissed everything I ever wished for when I blew out my candles… apologizing for not doing more.

Someone should tell him he’s already leaving me speechless, struggling to work my way carefully through the mine field of L bombs he inspires.

He rolled out of bed with a kiss between my shoulders and a bite on my chin.

S- Good morning, birthday girl- I’ll be back in a minute.

He left, and I tip toed to wake up my darling little red… who handed me this.

I could do nothing but hug her and cry. I miss my son so much- and after dropping off some things at his other house, knowing he’s just in the other room, ignoring me and being the typical teenager he is? Sucks. That his dad doesn’t make him be more respectful is his failure, not mine… but spending a second birthday without a word or sight of him, hurts deeply. All this gratitude and love from my darling little girl, overwhelms me. She giggled and wiped tears out of her own eyes, griping at me for making her cry too. She drilled a hole in a heart shaped piece of coral and made me a keychain out of it, handing it to me with apologies that it wasn’t much. Someday she’ll know how much I would never like anything else so much.

The dogs barking let me know my sweetheart was back, and carrying a huge vase of my favorite flowers. Long stem red roses and oriental lilies, which I can smell as soon as the door opens. My favorites… and I’m stunned. He smiles and apologizes that I didn’t wake up to them as I silence him by leaping into his arms. Jeez. How on earth did I get this lucky?

He pulls us both out the front door and opens the doors to his truck for each of us… drives us to breakfast and prods me to tell him what I want to do for my birthday. I am the most indecisive person on earth, and admit it openly. He grinned and shook his head.

S- That does it. We’re going to the amusement park to play. You work so hard- and I want you to have fun on your birthday. Does that sound fun?

Absolutely… and we’re there in no time, though I’m freaking out a little about the expense. It’s damn expensive and he’s hushing my voiced concerns and frowning at me when I pull my wallet out. Laughing at me when I try to insist.

He grabbed us both by the hand and pulled us towards the games… and the day started off with smiles, all the way around. Roller coasters, ice cream cones and more love than I’ve ever known has me smiling and laughing our way around the park… when we saw the water ride designed to save the masses from the heat. My daughter frowned at her favorite tennis shoes when she saw the people leaving through the exit looking like they’d gone for a swim.

She pulled them off, determined to keep them dry at all costs. Superman held his hand out to take her shoes and I got hit by a dozen Cupid arrows, simultaneously. Watching him hold her shoes in the air over his head while we spun our way around and down the “river” was the greatest thing I’ve ever seen. He had his favorite shoes on, and at one point was ankle deep in water and laughing, guarding the little shoes in his hands.

We got soaked to the skin, but her shoes stayed dry. I told you he was super…

We played until we were exhausted, drove home to dinner at my favorite restaurant and another million laughs full of all the love in the world. The waitress smiled and brought out a dish of chocolate mousse with a pretty pink candle and I fought back happy tears. I have damn near everything I ever wanted- and here I was… facing the happiest birthday wish, ever.

I wished for what I really want- and I can’t tell you what- but I hope at some point when it comes true that I’ll be able to share what it is I only dared hope for in silence.

Home at twilight with a few hundred dollars of fireworks my Superboyfriend bought to celebrate my birthday.

Giggles. Smiles. Love…. and a perfectly wonderful birthday with my two favorite people.

Happy birthday, indeed.