Sweet, Sweet Children

Today is my birthday and it was a little difficult because I was coming back from a wonderful weekend with Bob and family, and facing a mountain of work to do this week. However, there were so many sweet surprises from our children.The flowers above are from all four of the kids. Em got the idea to send them and communicated with the other three children from Seattle to Boston to Chapel Hill to Raleigh. Meredith chose the flowers, Andy wrote the poem (which follows), Amy chose the florist and Em edited and organized. What a proud mother!
"Hope things keep going well at Hah-Vud.
Happy Birthday from near, fah and fah-thuh."

Amy and Sam took me out to this amazing Mexican restaurant where they make the most divine guacamole table-side. Notice Sam's sore shoulder from carrying the dresser (see pictures above)up to my apartment last night. If you look even more closely, you can see his bloody fingers from my attempts to help! Despite all of that, he paid for the meal!
Then, after Sam shamed Amy into getting out of the car (it is cold and you will note that she does not have a jacket), they gave me a container of cupcakes that Amy had made with a lovely candle that Sam lit from the back of the car. You cannot see or taste how delicious these cupcakes are - but they must be based on the wonderful-sounding peanut butter and chocolate cake described by the smitten kitchen blog. They are outstanding! And I say with gratitude - so are our children!