26th birthdays are usually dreaded. 26 marks the first year after your quarter century, the last year you can really claim that you are in your "mid-twenties" and from the sound of friends who have been there already..."the beginning of the end".

However, I'm not dreading my 26th bday at all, because for the first time, I've decided to do something different this year. Instead of dwelling on the fact that I'm now three (and a half!) years out of college, or that my knees are already getting a little creaky, I want to focus on something positive. That's why I decided to give up my birthday for charity: water this year. Instead of getting me a gift, please donate any amount you want to my campaign. Even just a little goes a long way to providing clean drinking water to developing nations all over the world.

I'm jumping the gun a little because I know some people are Christmas shopping and planning already and I sometimes get two-for-one gifts. Hopefully this will take some pressure off deciding on two gifts this year...and go toward a really good cause!

Thanks so much in advance. I'm looking forward to celebrating reaching my goal with you in January! :)