They Say It's My Birthday...

According to astrology, today is the luckiest day of the year for all signs, but especially for Capricorn, and double for people who's birthday is today.

Yeah, right.

I spent $11 on scratch tickets--bupkis.

But that's okay. Despite that failure, and dreary rain, it's been a good day.

People always ask if I get gypped, having a birthday so close to Christmas. The only thing I've ever been gypped on was parties. Everyone made damned sure I got lavished with love and presents on my day. That's especially true now, with a husband and kids who wait on me and make sure I do no chores.

I always loved this time of year. Now it's about a week, but when I was a kid, it was a solid month of celebration. My grandparents came up one weekend and we had a party (and got presents). Then we had my birthday, then my aunt's annual Christmas Eve, which I did every single year until about 10 years ago, when Number One got old enough that we wanted Christmas Day in our own house and stopped traveling for the holiday. I miss it. It was mostly my uncle's family, but my brother and I were always really close to my cousins, and the traditions--Auntie Mary's wings, handing out presents, the Raffenetti men getting drunk and making lame-o jokes--were huge contributors to a happy childhood. Then, of course, we had Christmas Day at home, and later at my other grandparents'.

Last night we went to my sister-in-law's annual party and had a good time playing games and delighting in the new generation of babies. Tomorrow night Jim and I wrap presents while we watch mediocre movies, and Tuesday we go to his parents' house.

Warmth, family, laughter, loving. It's what December's all about.

That and presents! I got:

• A 500GB backup drive
• Parallel Desire by Deidre Knight
• Tempted by Megan Hart
• A Patriots steering wheel cover
• Cool paper clips
• Cool binder clips
• A Nerf Patriots football
• A $25 iTunes gift card

I got breakfast made for me, and pigs in a blanket for lunch, and they're making shepherd's pie for dinner.

Okay. Maybe this isn't my luckiest day of the year, as far as unexpected luck goes. But I think I qualify as luckiest wife/mom in the world, and that's much better.