February 3rd

Guess freaking what??? It's February 3rd, that's what. And February 3rd is the day that dreams come true!

For several years in a row, something extremely exciting and often life-changing happened to me on February 3rd.

The first Anne of Green Gables practice aka the time I officially my BFF Viola was February 3rd. The day I took second place in the district Science Olympiad competition was February 3rd.

The day the Chess Master really looked at me for the first time was on February 3rd. And when I say he really looked at me, I'm not being adorably cliche. We'd sat next to each other in eighth-grade science for weeks and had hardly spoken. But on February 3rd, our teacher handed out nails, rocks, and hammers, and invited us to break apart the rocks with the hammers. (He also passed out safety goggles.) I was frustrated for one reason or another, so I, who never said a word in class, grabbed that hammer and broke apart a rock dangerously close to the Chess Master's face. I don't see how he could help but reexamine me after that.

February 3rd, people. It's a thing.

After those first several years of much excitingness on February 3rd, I began to expect the same on every February 3rd.

Then one year, the only unusual thing that happened on February 3rd was that my previously infertile cousin and his wife had a baby.

"Well," I said, "that is exciting. Just not what I was expecting."

Another February 3rd, I learned that Best Friend Boy's first niece was born. He had been very excited about her impending existence. I was pleased for him, but let down for myself.

Similar things happened on February 3rd after February 3rd. If something magical and exciting happened, it happened to someone else and not me. So it has been every year. Yet each year on this day, I can't help hoping... dreaming... and perhaps justifying.

Today, for example:

AWKWARD MORMON GIRL: (heads to work) It's raining, which means I don't have to scrape my car. That is so February 3rd.

AWKWARD MORMON GIRL: (at work) I almost fell asleep reviewing this content. But I didn't. February 3rd, amirite?

AWKWARD MORMON GIRL: (holding box of cherry cordial bark she bought at the store) Thanks, February 3rd, for providing this delicious candy for my enjoyment!

AWKWARD MORMON GIRL: (tries a piece)

AWKWARD MORMON GIRL: Hmm.Tastes remarkably like cough medicine.