So I turned 30 yesterday, and I just wanted to thank all of you for your warm and moving birthday wishes. Thank you All. It's so wonderful of you to remember my birthday. It made my day! It was a really good day. Here is a play-by-play. Just because, that's why.

The previous night I had stayed up until 7am, finishing a new doll, and then I got up at 10am, having only gotten 3 hours of sleep. I couldn't sleep while there was a new doll in the house! Still tired, I played with the doll and made her a wig while Chad started cleaning up. As I was working, I kept getting messages from you, and each one made my day brighter. Then came a delivery from Amazon; it was a new book illustrated by Lostfish! Then, Chad and I went to pick up my cake, after which he went home to clean some more, while I went shopping for a new outfit for my birthday party later that night. I generally dislike clothes shopping or grocery shopping or really any kind of shopping, unless I'm getting doll-making supplies. That I can do for hours. And yet, in only two hours I managed to acquire several new outfits, including two gorgeous coats from Lulu Lemon. They are so athletic AND pretty!

It was time to go home and get dressed up, and as I walked down the crowded street, arms full of bags, headphones over my ears playing the Gorillaz to drown out the bustle of other Friday night shoppers, I watched the old, green North Shore mountains loom over the glassy downtown and thought about my 30 years of life here on earth. Had I really been around this long already? It felt like a blink of an eye. Will I be sixty next time I blink?

I walked contemplating the transience of things, and yet I didn't feel sad, on the contrary I smiled the whole way home, feeling very fulfilled by the meaningful friendships I had formed and satisfied with what I had accomplished so far, and grateful, so so grateful for the opportunity.I came home modeled my new outfits for Chad, and soon after, friends began showing up. My parents stopped by to wish me a Happy Birthday. My sister stayed for the party. Chad wore a dress jacket, his luscious beard all fluffed up very fancily for the occasion.

I was in my studio, a little drunk and happy because I was surrounded by everything I loved. Here in this place and in this moment in time was the sum total of my 30 years on earth: Book shelves, Travel maps, Tool drawers, Work desks, Dear Friends, Dolls and Chad. And Birthday wishes coming for every corner of the world.

It was a very good day.