Let's see ...

Hmm, this is a tough one.

The question is: Which part of my 30th birthday weekend was my favorite?

Possible answers are:

• Walking in my parents' door on Friday evening expecting to see the quiet bustle of family-dinner prep time, only to find a dozen friends from every era in my life shouting "SURPRISE!"
• Seeing that two of those friends are co-workers from my last job - people whom I haven't seen since last July.
• Two hours later, party in full swing, looking up and realizing the latest guests to arrive are my aunt and cousin from Indiana, who drove three hours for the party.
• Hearing my friends and family's memories of me, from trick-or-treating at age five to giving a gift a few months ago.
• Not getting home until Saturday afternoon, five hours before my NEXT party (planned, of course, without prior knowledge of the surprise party).
• Racing about frantically with one minute to go before party time. (Not the best, I guess - but it made a good story at the time. "Five minutes ago, my hair was in a towel! What's it doing now? I haven't looked in a mirror yet. Should I comb it or put out the hummus?")
• The five people who actually showed up to both parties!
• The incredible quantities of beer that arrived with each guest, sending me running downstairs for a cooler and obliging a friend to make a UDF run for ice.
• Noting, at about 1 a.m., that the seven people chatting animatedly in the kitchen had never met before tonight.
• The friends who said to me, "We knew this would be fun. You know good people." (I do! I know the BEST people!)
• The friend who had another engagement until 1 a.m., but wasn't about to let that keep her from celebrating with me! (She dropped in for a few minutes at 1:15.)
• The final wave of guests who didn't depart until 3 a.m. (And the VERY last guest, my best friend, who stayed until nearly 4!)
• Reading some of the sweetest cards imaginable.
• Responding to message after message from well-wishers on Facebook and Twitter.
• Knowing, without a doubt, that I have some of the best friends and family members a girl could have.

I can select "all of the above," right?