How To Have a Perfect Birthday in 20 Easy Steps

1. Wake up next to the love of your life. Kiss him gently and leave him snoring.
2. Watch the sunrise with a cup of coffee, a fire in the fireplace, and a happy dog at your feet.
3. Pray with abundant gratitude, thinking about what an amazing year this past one has been—a year relatively free from stress and pressure, a year filled with good things and fabulous people.
4. Be called the most beautiful, sweetest woman in the world by your husband when he wakes up and wishes you a happy birthday. Look in his face and knows he means it completely.
5. Eat eggs and bacon, which your husband cooks for you, while drinking another cup of coffee.
6. Receive sweet hugs and birthday greetings from two out of your three beautiful children.
7. Go to your church, your still new church, the one that you are excited and joyful to go to, the one that doesn't sing "happy birthday, dear Christian" to you in the middle of service, for which you are immensely, almost tearfully grateful. Get hugs from friends. And a pretty scarf that your friend crocheted just for you.
8. Come back home and eat leftover chili, because that's what you want to do.
9. Read dozens and dozens of birthday greetings from friends on Facebook and feel tremendously grateful—and loved.
10. Eat leftover Valentines Day chocolate, guilt-free because it's your birthday.
11. Read a book until you're so sleepy that you just have to take a nap. Take that nap.
12. Take apple pie to your parents, who have colds and can't come to your birthday dinner. Hug your mother, while she says, "What a wonderful day that was. I still can't believe I finally got my little girl, my little paper doll. My Dad loved you so much."
13. Receive birthday wishes from that third child, the one away at college, whose father texted him and said, "Call your mother!" He would have remembered eventually.
14. Eat a spectacular dinner made by your husband of all your favorite things: sushi, steak, roasted Brussels sprouts, baked potatoes.
15. Open presents from your sweet family that knows you sooooo well.
16. Play a board game and laugh.
17. Eat birthday cheesecake.
18. Watch the season finale of Downton Abby. Whatever.
19. Read more birthday greetings on Facebook, text messages, and emails. Be happy, again, for the people in your life who took a minute or two to wish you well.
20. Go to bed, back where you began the day, next to the love of your life.