On my twentieth revolution around the sun, I felt fortunate to be surrounded by loved ones in all capacities: friends, family, and four-legged siblings. I'm not a "birth month" or even "birth week" kind of gal, but my birthday is a very special day for me, and a borderline National Holiday? That's a stretch, but indulge me. 

This year, amidst midterms and burning out on the road to Spring Break, I threw together the most hodge podge, yet symbolic, celebration scheme. I'm not kidding when I say I took a midterm Monday night (hence the skippage of the Mod Monday this week), blinfoldedly bumbled around campus (too many details to go into now...), and sprinted over to the left ledge of Widener for a birthday party. Yes, I had a birthday party at the library. On the left ledge. Yup. People did, in fact show up, and I was both pleasantly surprised and over the moon. 

From 11:30pm-midnight, I forced friends to brave the cold (rewarding them with hot chocolate, cake, bubbly at midnight, and my hugs, of course), abandon their theses for a sec, and dance suspended off the ground at Widener Library. At one point, Securitas peaked out of the library, shot one glance our way, chuckled, and left us alone - #bless. At midnight, I felt the warmth from my friends (despite losing feeling in my toes) and welcomed in my twenties with a phone call from Sandy, which received audience laughter when I answered with a, "Hiiiii Mami!" 

Post Danza Kuduro with the friends left standing, sleep was in order before a bday breakfast with the gals. I'm not joking when I say I planned a bday breakfast (not lunch, when more people would've probably been awake) for the sole purpose of consuming the Cream Chipped Beef Biscuits from Henrietta's Table - better known as a buttery heart attack in a bowl. 

Fast forward to 3pm when class was over and I was headed to the airport in order to celebrate with my parents. And, though I received many a puzzled look and snide, "Wow... that's extra" from some friends about me up and leaving for Miami. I must say it made my birthday. Being able to spend every birthday with my parents has been a godsend, and I sure wasn't going to stop now.

Little did I know my parents had flown in my sister as a surprise! The four of us shared a delicious dinner in South Beach, celebrating the last minutes of my birthday and kicking off a fabulous new decade. 

In the morning, I re-enacted a silly, over-sized balloon pic tradition - up until the zero floated away and I went from 20 to 2 real quick.

Then Sandy and I celebrated with Val, reminiscing over past birthdays spent together, with the most visually pleasing breakfast. Ever. 

Suffice it to say, I felt so loved that day. Birthdays, to me, are such a celebration of life - a yearly reminder of the beautiful people that are on this journey with me, flowing in and out, and contributing to who I grow to become with each revolution around the sun. 

Xx, Maia