My Birthday

The night before my birthday, the kids cleaned the house sparkling and Caelan started homemade caramel rolls--yummy! Needless to say, breakfast was delicious! The cards the kids made for me were very sweet and thoughtful and might have got a few waterworks started on my second 21st birthday :)



Buck asked his boss if he could come in to work late, so he could take me out for lunch. His boss agreed, so we got to enjoy a little restaurant all to ourselves. Next door we, amazingly, found the best cup of chai I've had in this town since we moved here! Hooray for new discoveries :)



Around this time, Caelan drove the Crew to music lessons, which is where Buck dropped me off after our lunch date. Our music teacher's baby needed a little snuggle time, so I was happy to take care of that need in her wee little life :)



At home, gifts arrived in the mail--no need for wrapping :) A weighted, heated back warmer from Buck and the kids is what I've had on my list since we did that (kind of awful) massage earlier this spring. At that appointment, I loved the warming thing the most, so the massage lady gave me the order information before we left (and never returned, ha!) Also in the mail, my birthday box arrived earlier than expected from California with treats from Grandma J for the whole family--even the dogs. My new half price jeans from Just Fab also arrived that day--pink, teal, burgundy, and green, the pants of many colors :) And lest I forget, because that's not possible, the answer to my sister's riddle--the bag of weeds--arrived too.

Taking her inspiration from our classroom decorations, she designed a university hoodie for our homeschool aspirations. But not just any hoodie. This one comes with a built in (root) beer coozie AND an attached bottle opener. Hilarious!



Caelan made me cornbread and Gabby made a thick potato soup for my birthday dinner. After that, we spent most of our evening at the church. Caelan played keyboard for the church prayer/Christmas carol night, then she, Gabby, and Brennen had rehearsals for the church Christmas choir. I had an opportunity to sit and visit with several friends that I don't get much time with in all the usual hustle and bustle. I later discovered SEVERAL of these friends were annoyed (I was called a stinker many times) at me for not revealing the fact that it was indeed my birthday (I shut off the birthday thing on Facebook, which as you know, is a primary source of all things information). More on that later . . .



I texted Buck that I'd had a really good day, it was just so odd I didn't have any cake (the plan was to eat a chocolate cake at the hunting cabin over the weekend). Well, he couldn't let that slide, so on his way home he stopped at Coldstone Creamery and bought this (very expensive!!! eeek!) raspberry ice cream cake. Yummy finish to the day!



The adorable mug (with added photo bomb :) is handcrafted by one of our pastors' sister. I've been admiring her work online for quite some time. Buck followed her Etsy drop, and swooped a mug up. I feel like an official member of our church now that I have my own piece of this handmade pottery ;) 

And why the close-up of Brennen? Well, last month I asked him how long he was going to let his moustache grow before he went after it with the shaving supplies we bought him at Easter. He said, "It's no shave November, and I'm on a 14 year streak." Very funny :) We teased him that his 'stache was like a unibrow that had slipped down his nose and settled above his lip (it really wasn't that bad, but you know, we're hilarious ;) So, for my birthday, he surprised me with a clean-shaven lip and smooth cheeks. Awww!! A close up was required 🤍

The hardest part of the day was forcing myself not to think about the fact that for the first time in my life, my dad would not be calling to sing me happy birthday. I think that's part of the reason I didn't want anyone outside our family making a fuss/reminding me what day it was.

But my friends weren't going to let it slide :) Buck texted me the next evening--a full on pajama day and I was settled in--to be dressed and ready to go at 8:15. 

"P.M.? Like tonight?"
"Yes."
"Are you getting home early?"
"No. It's a surprise, be ready."
"What is happening?!"
"Your friend wants to celebrate your birthday."
"Okay . . . well . . . it better be someone I like!" ;) 

So as per instructions, I was ready at 8:15 . . . and my friend Whitney showed up at 8:30--my first clue as to who was coming, ha! She handed me a Starbuck's chai and told me we were going to pick up Amber. I still had no idea what the plan might be, but we ended up at the movie theater where another friend was able to join us (not bad for a last minute plan :) Once we found our theater seats, Whitney pulled all kinds of sugar free treats out of her bag--it reminded me of our friend Lisa's french fry purse :) We giggled through the 5,000 previews, since it was just us and one tattooed guy in the theater. We watched the new Mister Rogers movie, which was quiet, slow, sweet, and emotional. It also got over really late. So, instead of going out for food, we decided to head home. 

After we dropped Amber off at her house, Whitney drove me back to my place. . . it was probably a quarter to 12. Buck was home, peeked out the window and opened the door so I could come in quietly. But, being the night owls that we both are, Whit and I sat and talked in the driveway until 1 A.M.! Buck was laughing as I finally came in the door. He was soooo tired, and I was all late-night energy :) It was incredibly sweet of my friends to force me to hang out with them in honor of my birthday. I definitely feel loved 💗