Tonight Josh took me to dinner at Fig and Olive for my birthday. Oh. My. Goodness. I think we made one of those memories that we will look back on someday when we are older and fatter and spend lots of time changing diapers. I had chicken tagine with figs and olives and apricots. Josh had the melt-in-your-mouth filet mignon. And we talked about life in the City and what we love and hate about being here and how delicious our food and drinks were and how we often feel so out of place in fancy restaurants but that's part of what makes it so fun.

Every time it is someone's birthday, I always like to ask three questions:

1. First, I ask the people around the birthday person to list three things they appreciate about the birthday person.

Then I ask the birthday person:

2. What are three beautiful or meaningful things you remember from this past year?
and
3. What are three hopes for the next year?

I indoctrinated Josh and he kindly honored my cheesy tradition. Here are our answers from tonight:

1. Josh said, after a listing a few inappropriate "favorites": I like how well our friends speak about you. I like that you tell good stories. I like that no matter what you are doing, you give your best work, you don't do anything halfway.

2. I said, three beautiful things from my past year were: becoming a doula, sitting on the beach with Josh and my family in Cape Charles, VA, and eating Ramen at Ippudo with some of my best girls.

3. My three hopes for this next year are: to receive God's mercy better, to forgive better, and to grow our family ;-). Yeah, I know, easy goals, right?