Josh wants a space pirate party for his sixth birthday. I’m working out the details. In the meantime, I celebrated the big 4-3 yesterday. It was quite an extravaganza. When you’re a grown up, you have to squeeze your birthday into the rest of an adult day. You don’t get 24 hours off from being the mom.

Here are some highlights:

• Field trip to the orchestra with Miriam’s sixth grade class. The students were told to dress nicely; I was astonished by the high heels on some of the girls.

• Lunch with Mom and Dad. No birthday is complete without the people who made you possible.

• Puppet-making with Sammy and the fourth graders. Green hair. Eyes made from beads and pins. Velvet capes. Sammy’s creation speaks with a British accent.

• Home to let out the dog. Onyx does not know it is my birthday. He did not send a card.

• One clay heart with “Happy 43rd Birthday” etched on the back.

• A t-shirt: “Obey the Black Lab.”

• Dangly earrings from Kim (the next best thing to an extra sister.)

• A birthday banner decorated with sparkle markers.

• Costco run for strawberries and cream puffs. Party treats for Saturday night.

• A round of weed whacking on the front and back lawns.

• Trip to Jax Kar Wash for a free birthday wash (Josh: Why do they spell car with a k?)

• Birthday pie – raspberry or caramel apple… or both.

• Endless birthday wishes on Facebook. Now that’s the way to make a person feel loved!

I also found out that my garage needs major repairs, but I prefer to think about that tomorrow (on Tara?) And my husband is sick, so I had to wash all the dinner dishes and put the kids to bed myself.

But really, it was a terrific birthday. If I had taken the day off, I would have missed it all.