Three beautiful things from the first week of my 40s:

1. Texts, tweets, calls, comments, and cards remind me that I’m not alone on my birthday and in the days that surround it. Susan and Phillip invite me to visit on my birthday eve. My brother and his partner send a beautiful flower arrangement — and then Josh follows it up by ordering a special birthday dinner to be delivered to the hospital for us. Rudi’s roommate’s fiancée runs out to the store for a cupcake for us to split. Amani and Karen send packages with things they know I enjoy. And my parents’ box contains presents handmade by my mother for the final, wonderful reveals.

2. Rudi’s doctors feel that his lungs have made good progress in healing and send him home again. The cats and I are glad to have him back.

3. Josh and Matt’s Christmas presents to us were tickets to American Idiot at the National Theatre tonight. It was fun to see a musical and to sing along with some of the songs.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world this week?