My lil' sistah

Ain't they cute? This is my sister Beth, her husband Brian, and their daughter Ava. I took this pic in my parents' backyard on my birthday.

My birthday supper was phenomenal. Of course, we had my traditional carrot cake (which was exceptionally moist and tasty this year, and I have no idea where my mom bought it, but I've been meaning to ask her because it might just have been the best-tasting carrot cake I have ever had), but we also had Thai takeout that blew my mind (and pegged my heat-o-meter... doggonit, that stuff was hot and spicy and yummy).

All in all, it was a very happy birthday weekend. On Saturday, my bestest co-worker girlfriends Andrea and Leslie took me out for a birthday lunch and then we went to Leslie's for a while for some beer and gossip and to meet her new Basset pup Nellie (who is just the sweetest, floppiest, lovey-est thing ever). I work with some of the awesomest folks in the whole wide world.

On a more serious note, I have a very dear friend who lives a long way away and who is battling some major health issues right now. I'd give my right arm to be able to be there and help run errands and clean house, and it's killing me to know that I can't... but I'd appreciate it if you'd pray anyway. For privacy reasons, I can't talk about it any more than that, but it's really important to me.