Happy Barfday!

T-W-E-N-T-Y-O-N-E

It seems so old. Here's a little sampling of how I celebrated the big birthday weekend. Hold onto your hats, 'cause it gets pretty wild.

Friday: I picked my mom up from the airport and we ate trendy lunch at a coffee shop. We Cook women are natural hipsters. My Friday evening was spent on the arm of the world's best date, eating at Mary Mac's and attending Tech's first annual Engineers' Ball. I love to dance, and I hate to toot my own horn, but after several YouTube videos and Urban Dance Groove classes and Darren's Dance Grooves DVD's I can hold my own on a dance floor. For some reason, this always seems to surprise people. I do like to be surprising.

Saturday: Full out Atlanta exploration. My mom and I putzed around the neighborhoods of Inman Park and Old Fourth Ward, eating fried green tomato BLT's and chocolate/cayenne ice cream. I told you, hipsters. Then we went to a showing of Anna Karenina. The novel is by far one of my favorites, and to see it come to life in such a fascinating way - breathtaking. Where do I sign the petition that Keira Knightley only be allowed to do period pieces from now until eternity? That night we had my fancy birthday dinner with the roomiez, which ended up being a delicious pizza picnic, and I am every bit overjoyed with that.

Sunday: Up bright and early on the day of and headed to...a 5k? Ummm, yes, the world is ending because I actually chose to run a 5k on my birthday. Thankfully I had some support from two sweet friends, and the three of us raced our way to a finish line bearing hot chocolate and chocolate fondue. Then I got to dance the electric slide on stage with everyone else having a January 13th birthday. But  after the race I threw up, probably because I ate a banana and WebMD says I'm either banana intolerant or hyperkalemic. Or, you know, because I ran 3 miles then ate quite a bit of chocolate. But I got better after a few hours of Say Yes to the Dress and Property Virgins. Thank goodness for that, because my roommates threw a wonderful cupcake party and I would have hated not to have attended. I feel I should probably invest in some birthday party training before next year, because of course I felt the need to share my throwing up story with the entire room, right before I blew out the candles nestled in several cupcakes. (In my defense, I wrapped it up with the sweet joke that "every girl should vomit on her 21st birthday at least once, am I right?!") This is probably even a step down from last year, when I rambled on in great detail about crying at my seventh grade surprise party. I have a tendency to overshare. It's why I have a blag.

The Lord has granted me a reminder of all the wonderful people invested in my life this birthday weekend, and I am so thankful for and humbled by that.