When October rolls around, inevitably the questions come: "What do you want for your birthday?"  "What do you want to do for your birthday?"  I hate being fussed over, I know how busy everyone is with their own lives and I never want to add one more chore to their to-do lists.  Not that celebrating a friend's birthday is a chore but you know what I mean.

This year I thought I'd beat everyone to the punch and host my own birthday gathering.  In this season of life, time, energy and resources seem to be in short supply.  It feels like during the chance meetings in the grocery store, on the field or at the school the conversation always ends with: "we should get together."  And then it never happens.  Next thing you know, another year has passed by.  So what better excuse to connect than a birthday?

I sat at the computer with the Evite site in front of me and made a list of the women in my life who make me laugh the most.  I love serious, deep conversation but my absolute favorite thing to do is laugh out loud.  This is what I wanted for my 45th birthday.  And with the craziness of fall, I knew this was just what we all needed on a stormy Saturday night.  I asked for no gifts, no one to bring food or drink but just to come with a funny card and their delightful selves and let ME celebrate THEM.  Seven out of nine ladies braved the elements and even my BFF from college drove two hours to be here--and brought her husband to play with Trey.

We had the best time eating, drinking and, of course, LAUGHING.  I  looked around the house at one point and saw many different spontaneous conversations happening and felt so grateful for the gift of these women and their faithful friendship to me. Being the good friends that they are, they indulged me in leaving their comfort zone to play a board game (another one of my loves)  full of semi-personal questions.  Knowing they could refuse to answer any question, we donned our bandanas, saddled up and spent the next 2 hours playing "Cowgirls Ride the Trail of Truth."  Everyone was a good sport and many times we had to regroup after ending up in tears of laughter.

This definitely lands on my Top Ten of the last 45 birthdays.