Sometimes, it's just nice to feel important

I have contemplated recently the fact that the days and times in your life when you want things to go just "so and so" and be so perfect... are the days that usually blow up in your face and mother nature screams at you, "so, you want to tell me how to do my job again? Cause I got ALL DAY, sister!" And then she pushes you down a flight of stairs. And out a window. Ok, maybe that's a little over the top, but I am sure, positively sure that you know what I mean!

Now, we all know that my life has been a little, ehh... less than perfect recently, what with a fiance telling me he wasn't ready to get married and watching my life plans fall to bits and pieces, and then making the decision to move 1,000 miles away from anyone I know (besides my beautiful sister) and being horribly homesick, but I was hoping that on my birthday, my fabulous day of birth that is supposed to be rose petals and gum drops, would be filled with the few friends I have here in Oklahoma knocking at my door, standing in line to take me out. Well guess what happened!??! .......Everyone forgot. I called a few people and asked if they wanted to go to lunch but they were too busy (later, I might add, I got texts saying things like "Oh Erica!!! I forgot it was your birthday! I feel flattered that you wanted to spend it with me... I'll make it up to you, I promise!"). My wandering of the day took me downtown to get a pair of contacts that cost me a whopping $10, and auspiciously close to my sister's work office. Yeah, office. She's all growed up now and wears slacks and dress shoes to work. Anyway, so I called her up and said "hey, let's do lunch" and she said "ok", so we met at a nearby Olive Garden, I in my pajamas and she in her slacks and dress shoes, where slurped into my belly 3 bowls of soup, 4 breadsticks, and 2 plates of salad then waddled and rolled myself to the car.

I came home and wiled away 5 hours doing who knows what, until Institute, which was actually quite fabulous and where I was reminded that "ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith" (Ether 12:6 from my favrite book, The Book of Mormon) and I thought to myself, "hmm, Erica, what on earth is it you are needing to learn? Cause it sure seems like you are getting your share of trials these days *shrinks shoulders and looks up with a "please don't try me anymore" look*", and then a spider crawled out of my scripture case. The boy next to me killed it with a Hymnal, and when I thanked him, thinking he was relatively attractive and tall enough to be glanced at a second time, he introduced himself... and his fiance.

The perk of the day was going to Orange Leaf, this fabulous little frozen yogurt place, for dessert. I paid for myself. I came home, made a few phone calls, and was accidentally in bed by 9:30. Geez, if this is what 27 was like, what will 28 bring?

I suppose I am just being selfish. I mean, I've recently tried to talk myself into the thought that birthdays aren't important, but dangit, they are!!! It's the one day of the year where you can feel special and selfish and actually expect to get things that you want, just for yourself. Sometimes it's just... just nice to feel important. I'm not used to being alone, and not having friends, and and not knowing the ins and outs of every social situation around me. And furthermore, I'm not used to not caring so much about... well just about everything.

I am, however, grateful for the phone calls, texts, and facebook messages!!! It's nice to know that there's love shooting to me from afar.