Another Lap Around the Sun

Posted byAbPosted inADHD, adoption, birthday, FASD, gratitude, love, ParentingTags:, , , , , ,

I celebrated my 44th birthday weekend with my two favourite guys on a rare Saturday night out at a glow-in-the-dark trampoline park.

We piggybacked on one of T’s peers’ birthday party. It started at 8:30 when I am usually getting ready for bed. 😂 I enjoyed sitting on a couch watching T have a blast.

We all slept in this morning and had lunch at Chinese Dumpling House, a family favourite restaurant.

We then visited my Pa, Ma and sister at the cemetery. They were very relaxed as always.

T chilling with Ama and Angkong. 😂💕

Then we picked up Filipino treats at Seafood City, a Filipino supermarket, including a buko pandan drink and an ube macapuno cake.

I thought about family and friends who were no longer with us this morning.

I received a nice birthday greeting email from Jenny’s mom and it helped keep her memory alive.

I’m nearing the midway point of a decade where I spend way more time than I should looking for my glasses and my doctor is monitoring my cholesterol. 😆 By the way, my bad cholesterol is down by almost half since last summer! 🙌

Birthday noodles for long life or until my cholesterol kills me.

But the last few years also taught me not to sweat the small stuff and to laugh off unexpected meltdowns that disturb the peace.

And yes, I’m now able to laugh about that terrible airport meltdown last week, which I’ll still write about soon.

It’s a really nice balance and mental and emotional space to be settling into! 🙏

All I wish for every year is happiness, good health, love, peace, adventure and success for my loved ones and myself.

We got home from the party at midnight last night and at 12:30 am, T came in our room and I was half asleep. He flicked on the lights and crawled into bed to give me a big long hug and wished me happy birthday.

For this and all my other immeasurable blessings, I am truly grateful.

T wanted to make sure his hand was in the photo.

40 thoughts on “Another Lap Around the Sun”

    1. Thanks Cherryl! 😊 This felt like a lifetime ago but it was a wonderful birthday. Gratitude is so grounding and healing. 🙏

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  2. Making sure his hand was in the photo! So cute. Post-midnight so now it’s your birthday hugs are amazing. “or until my cholesterol kills me.” Ha! And “They were very relaxed as always.” Haha! I’m glad you had a nice birthday. A kid party starting at 8:30, though, is insane!

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  6. Happy birthday, Ab! At our age, the talks are often about our cholesterol levels, aren’t they? 😅But I’m glad your birthday this year went smoothly. I have never tried a buko pandan drink, but from your photo I can kind of imagine how it tastes as it looks very Southeast Asian, if you know what I mean.

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    1. Thanks Bama! 🥰 Yes, I’m looking forward to conversations in a few years about my prostate with my doctor. 😂

      Buko pandan is a nice treat. The base is coconut milk, evaporated milk and condensed milk. So I imagine it’s similar to other drinks you may have had in your travels in South East Asia. I’m craving another one already!

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      2. Thanks Serena! 🥰 Buko is a Tagalog word for young coconut. Buko pandan is usually a dessert you eat with a spoon but this one was made as a drink.

        Key ingredients: Buko (shredded), pandan jelly, coconut milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk. That’s why it’s so good. So sweet. 😂

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  7. wishing you “happiness, good health, love, peace, adventure and success for your loved ones and you” today and everyday – Happy Birthday, Ab! Wait till you add phone and keys to glasses! 😉V.

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  11. So much to love in this post, Ab! Most of all…happy, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! You touched on all the things that matter most about family – present and those departed – and enjoying yourself. Big hugs! 🥰

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  12. Happy Birthday!! I didn’t even know that there was such a thing as a glow-in-the-dark trampoline park. And I can’t even remember the last time I stayed up until past midnight (not even on New Year’s eve). Wishing you lots of good health, laughter and love this year and for many years to come!

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    1. Thanks Linda! 🥰 The place is called Flying Squirrel. You should see if there is one in your part of town. I wouldn’t be surprised. It ended up being so much fun! And I hear ya, I don’t even stay up on NYE anymore! 😂

      Hope you all have a safe flight to Vancouver and have an amazing trip!!’

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      1. Good to know. And it totally sounds like it would be a lot of fun, and not just for kids.

        We survived the first flight to Vancouver, which was a bit rough thanks to a two hour delay while we were waiting to take off. The pilot had announced there was a dent in the plane that needed to get fixed. Can’t say I’ve heard that one before!

        Tomorrow evening we fly to Auckland.

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  14. Out til 12:30 on your birthday? You might be getting older but you still aren’t old! And by the way, in case no one in their fifties and up has let you in on the trick with glasses — get a bunch of cheap ones and leave them everywhere so you can save time looking. You’re welcome. 🙂

    Glad you got to spend some time with all your family. I love your wishes for, “happiness, good health, love, peace, adventure and success for my loved ones and myself.” May it be so.

    Happy birthday, my friend!

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    1. Thanks Wynne. 🥰 And yes, I know, I certainly felt it on Sunday. Can’t stay out like I used to! 😆

      Thanks for the life hacks. I will remember them as my list of things to look for grows!

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  15. a very happy birthday to you, ab! may you have many more laps around the sun and may you have many long noodles to wrap around with you. it sounds like you have a good plan to take the good with the bad and savor the special moments, and keep them close, in spite of the challenging moments. this is what will keep you going and always give your hope.

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    1. Thanks Beth! 🥰 Each lap seems to go by faster, I find, and just thankful for all the birthday noodles. I do hope to enjoy many more to come!

      I really appreciate you cheering me on from afar. It really does make a difference!

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    1. Thanks Tammy! 🥰 Oh, I’m so thankful for having a sense of humour because the alternative is so depressing. 😂 And I’m glad you have a great one too!

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