I had a really lovely birthday last week! Very low-key. The kids still had school and swimming (James is doing summer pre-k and swimming lessons, and Annie is on the swim team at our community pool), but I fit in yummy meals (breakfast with my parents and Annie, and dinner with Mike and the kids), and I got a nap! The kids and Mike also gave me some really thoughtful drawings and gifts, and my dad brought me birthday pie, which will always and forever be superior to birthday cake in every single way.


I love the envelope drawings so much.

It’s impossible for me to imagine what this, the last year of my thirties, will hold. There’s so much uncertainty and upheaval in the world right now, and lately, so many things seem trivial in the scheme of things. It’s so easy to get weighed down by the heaviness of it all. However, I’m determined to leave this world a better place for my children, so if that means getting weighed down a bit, so be it. This year, I plan on reveling in my kids, and enjoying what I can (even the trivial things!), and taking action to change what I think is unacceptable. When I turn 40 next year, I hope things will be better for everyone.

Around The ‘Net

~All Maria knows is that her grandson is in a place called Arizona

~‘Are you alone now?’ After raid, immigrant families are separated in the American heartland

~It’s not just criminals — ICE is nabbing lawful permanent residents too

~How smart home devices can be weaponized for domestic violence

~Two dads, an egg donor and a surrogate: How a freezer failure changed everything

~America’s severe trucker shortage could undermine the economy

~This Is What Happens To Your Brain When You Don’t Drink Enough Water

~This Photo Of Donated School Supplies At A Teacher’s Funeral Will Make You Cry

~In One of the World’s Richest Countries, Most Single Mothers Live in Poverty

~How McKinsey Lost Its Way in South Africa

~One of history’s greatest philosophers thought work makes you a worse person

~What Happened to the Winner of McDonald’s $1 Million Flexi-Disc Contest?

~Inside Target’s top secret test store

~You Can’t Hurt Lindsay Lohan Now

~We’re experiencing the biggest revolution in movie-ticket prices in decades

Cool Finds

~A portion of the proceeds for this great shirt support the ACLU.
~And this cool shirt supports TurboVote.org, a nonpartisan application that makes it easy to receive election reminders, get registered to vote, and apply for your absentee ballot.
~My kids love these squeezy-ball thingies, but I personally find them to be great for crushing when I am stressed out by the world. So, often. They’re very durable, I haven’t broken one yet!

Happy Sunday, everyone!