may 13

a photo collage to describe (more than words could) the sweetness that was my 21st birthday:

the picnic on burggarten, in my birthday dress and a crown from melissa!

chris is serious about austria, i am serious about getting back to my beer before it gets too warm

roomies! en route to my concert 

we got to the music school, and the concert had been postponed! luckily, we had a bottle of wine and champagne,  and there's a beautiful park right next door...

...and we got silly, which is why these two are my favorites...

after pakastani dinner and rootbeer floats at my place, sir fluffypants and I headed to the opening ceremonies of the Vienna Festival Week, getting there JUST IN TIME to hear the end of Beethoven's 9th. I may have wet myself...

my beautiful birthday garden and crown, which I enjoyed for the rest of this weekend

Sitting on the park in the sun Friday,  I drank a few beers and thought of my Uncle Terry. I know he's somewhere tipping one back in celebration for me as well, and it makes me happy to think that a few things he enjoyed most in life I enjoy too. Playing guitar, eating good chocolate, kicking ass at hearts, and now, legally, drinking a cold beer will always make me think of him, and be happy.

My birthday wish is pretty similar from year to year and this year is no exception: to love the life I have been given, to love the people in it and to seize the opportunities to do good and wonderful things each day. A lot of people remembered me on this day, but I also spent the day remembering and thinking about them. So thank you, to everyone, for the love. It's just a silly birthday, but you all made it a day more about loving each other and reminded me (again) how lucky I am with my friends and family. 

This was surely a day to be remembered.

-lab